
Book ^K^Q> Cor '^_ 



PRESENTED BY 



RBMINISCENCRS 



OLD NORTHAMPTON 



SKETCHES OF THE TOWN AS IT APPEARED 
FROM 1S40 to 1850 



HENRY S. GERE 

EDITOU OF HAMPSHIRE GAZETTE 



WITH ilJ.rSTUATIONS 



lyoa 



INTRODUCTORY. 

Tliu Jieiniiii.sci;)u-(js of Old Xurtliamjiton, coutiiiiuMi in 
tliis book, were mostly written in a series of eif^lit arti- 
cles of three to four colunuis earh, ami ])ul)lislu'(l in the 
Jrlampshire (iazctte in the spring of Ki02. There had 
been publish(>d in the Gazette a considerable number of 
old-times articles by some of the older residents of the 
town, and when these were completed the writer under- 
took to give some of his recollections of his early years 
here. So, sitting in his easy chair, in the lf)ng days and 
evenings of the winter, l)ook and pencil in hand, he put 
upon paper these sketches. They were written with no 
thought that they would appear in any other than news- 
paper form, but they awakened so much interest, espe- 
cially among the older people, that there was a call for 
their publication in a form more convenient for reference 
and preservation. Some additions and corrections have 
been made, and such illustrations are given as serve to 
present a good view nf the center of the town wlien it 
was a rural abode of unusual beauty. The aim was to 
bring to view, in a concise form, as much of the old- 
time aspect of the center of the town as could be gath- 
G^'ed; , People come tS/D.d gio ; generations pass away ; mem- 
ories fade aiui disappeaY; but that which is recorded 
remaips ajitl ;»bi''leth.fovever. Some of the facts herein 
■ given 'u^3y.*.se9m.,t]ninlj;ff)Vtant. 1)ut they are a part of the 
notable history of this notable town, and in the coming 
y(?ars interest in theni may in(;rea«e. As such, they are 
given t(i the ])ulilic. .md respectfully iledicated to the 
coming generations. H. s. fi. 



lljrni 



CHAPTER I. 

VALUE OF PARTICULARS OF OLDEN TIMES — BOY COMES TO TOWN — WORKS 
FOR C. C. NICHOLS — NEW ENGLAND GUARDS FROM BOSTON MAKE 
THF. TOWN A VISIT — THE BUGLE OF THE OLD CANAL — TIPPECANOE 
AND TYLER. TOO. CAMPAIGN OF 1840 — SUNDAY NIGHT POLITICAL 
RALLIES — FEW HOUSES ON UPPER ELM STREET. 

I lovo everything that's old : — old frieuds. 
old times, old manners, old books, old wine. 

— Goldsmith. 

Stirred bj' reading the very interesting reminiscences of 
"Old Northampton" by some of its "old-tiraers," which 
have recently appeared in tlie Gazette, I have written out 
some of my own recollections of the town, as it appeared 
to me in the earlier years of ray residence here. I may not 
be able to give much tliat is new to the older residents now 
living, but what I may clironicle may awaken in them 
some old memories, which it will be pleasant to recall ouce 
more. I am moved to do tliis now, while I am physically 
able to do it. for I realize that the coming years for mo are, 
at most, but few. 

It was a happy tliought that prompted the preparation 
and publication of these reminiscences of the olden days 
at this time, for soon there will be few, if any, hero living, 
who can boast of a residence in the town dating back to 
1840. When these few are gone, who, then, will tell of the 
peoi)]e and events of those early times, now of so much 
interest ? I look around me and see but a small number of 
men of my age, who have lived fifty or sixty years in 
NorthamT)toii. A few years ago there were many such. 
But in the last few years their ranks have been sadly 



tliiulied. The "old-timers" who occasiouallj' come back 
to the place of their birtli from far away, like Isaac Par- 
sons and Ids brother, "Colonel Joe," sons of old " Cap'u 
Sam," and Col. Clark of Washington, son of I.saac Clark, 
the druggist, and Judge Charles A. Dewey of Milford, son 
of a supi'eine court judge bearing tlie same name, tlioy 
walk our streets looking in vain fcjr the familiar faces and 
forms which thej' used to see here. Gone they ai'e, and 
sadly missed, the old-timers of the past, and witli them 
has gone the rich memory of the eventful years in which 
they lived. 

It is wise now, for the living to chronicle wliat they can 
of the appearance of tlie town and of the manners and 
customs of the people in the early times. Some of the 
things thus clironicled may seem of small importance to 
the new-comers, those whose interest in bygone matters is 
little, but, as the years increase, these small things may 
become of large magnitude. What would we, the few that 
are left of the "old guard," give for a minute description 
of the old town as it appeai'ed a hundred years ago ? And 
what a priceless thing it would be, if the veil could be 
lifted and we could see tlie town and its people at a much 
earlier date. What curiosity and i)leasure would fill one's 
soul if ho could look into the "old church"' on a Sunday 
service in the eighteenth century and view the preacher 
and the congregation. Their quaint dress, their jdain man- 
ners, their devotional attitude, their systematic arrange- 
ment of sitting in the ])ews in the order of standing in the 
community, the curious ])ews, the more curious puljiit, the 
elevated "■ sounding board," the old-fashioned choir, the 
old-time singing, the old-time chorister, the old-time dea- 
cons, seated in front, the unique service, the long prayer, 
the longer sermon, the stan<ling in prayer time, the tyth- 
ingman, — all these, with the primitive architecture of the 
" meeting house,'" the bell rope near the front entrance, 
tlie horsesheds in the rear, would give a charm to the pic- 
ture far outranking anything visible in these later days or 
that has been handed down to us from the "old masters." 



Wliat would be the value of a view of Gov. Strong, and 
Major Joseph Hawley, and Dr. Ebenezer Hunt, and Col. 
Setli Poraeroy, and Asahel Ponieroy, and Col. John Stod- 
dard, as they appeared in our streets, and at their homes, 
and in the church, and the town meetings ? And if one 
could see Jonathan Edwards, as he appeared in the pulpit 
of our "old church," or walking in these streets, what a 
pleasure it would be. 

But those scenes are gone and forever closed. The jjast 
can only be viewed by what is recorded. Therefore I 
write. And let him who reads aud feels inspired to add to 
the record of these reminiscences, let him write also. 

WORKS FOR THE NOBILITY IN THE YEAR OF THE 
GREAT HARRISON CAMPAIGN. 

The writer's recollections of Northampton date back to 
18-10, when, a lad of twelve years, he spent the spring, 
summer and fall of that year doing chores aud various 
other work for Charles C. Nichols, who then owned and 
occu])ied the fine residence on Prospect street now owned 
and occupied by Henry R. Hinckley. Mr. Nichols had been 
a merchant in Boston aud came to Northampton in his later 
years to spend at his ease his remaining days aud the 
wealth which he liad accumulated. He was a relative of 
the Wiiitmarshes, Samuel and Thomas, who then lived 
where Mr. Frank Lyman and Col. H. L. Williams now 
reside in ward four. The Wiiitmarshes were at that time 
extensively engaged in the cultivation of the mulberry and 
the feeding of silkworms for cocoons. The mulberry and 
silkworm fever was at its height. Mr. Nichols was engaged 
in that for a time exhilarating business and had a cocoonery 
in the loft of the long shed in the rear of his house. When 
the worms were fed with mulberry leaves they madeanoise, 
which was perceptible at a considerable distance. He had 
a large mulberry field opposite the poor-house, and my first 
night in town was spent in a small house that stood on that 
lot and was oecnpii'd by a i|U,ick docter named Roberts. 



In the morning they mounted me on a very large liorse and 
set me at work riding him back and forth amcjiig the mul- 
berry trees, cultivating them after the manner of c(_)i'n 
cultivation. 

THE NEW ENGLAND CUARDS COME TO TOWN FKOM BOSTON. 

In July, 1840, t!ie town was honored with a visit from tlie 
New England Guards of Boston, a fine military company, 
under the command of Capt. Bigelow. This visit of tlie 
Guards stirred the town like tin* coming of a trium))hant 
army. It was arranged that when the Guards should reach 
the borders of the town a signal should be given to notify 
the inhabitants. So, when the Guards arrived at Hockanum 
ferry, a cannon stationed on the summit of Round Hill 
boomed forth the announcement. 

They came on a Monday and remained until Saturday, 
camping on the northeasterly slope of Round Hill, near 
where the houses of Judge Bassett and L. A. Dawson now 
stand on Crescent street. They were accom])anied by Ken- 
dall's famous military band, which stirred the town with 
its fine martial music. I remember seeing the Guards 
march through Prospect street, to their camping-ground. 
It was a great sight, for a boy— the Guar<ls from Boston ! 
There was a large collection of boys flanking the Guards as 
they marched, and among the number was " Kitty Clarke," 
since grown to be our resjiected citizen and city forester, 
Christopher Clarke. The zeal which he displayed in keep- 
ing close to the band made quite as enduring an impression 
upon my mind as the music and the soldiers. The Guai'ds 
were entertained at a picnic given by the ladies and held in 
Hubbard's grove on the bank of the Connecticut river about 
a mile north of the village. The Guards afterwards enter- 
tained the ladies and gentlemen of the town at their camp. 
Music and dancing were in order at both entertainments. 

At that time, Moses Breck lived in an old brown liouse 
that stood on Elm street, opposite the Prospect street June- 



tion. He had had a great deal of trouble arising from his 
excessive zeal in tlie temperance cause, and liis buildings 
were set on fire several times. The late William F. Quigley 
worked for Mr. Breck that summer, and I remember seeing 
him gathering the hay crop on the Napiei' lot, now owned 
by Oscar Edwards. 

The Talbots lived ou the Judge Howe place, now the 
Capen school, and there was no house between the Talbot 
place and the Henshaw place, now owned by Bishop F. D. 
Huntington. The place now occupied by Dr. Blodgett 
and i)reviously by Henry Bright was then known as the 
" Bowers place." It embraced all the land on the east to 
King street, on which street there was no building, and 
none of the laud could be bought. Jabez French, carpenter, 
father of the late Marvin M. French, lived on the north cor- 
ner of Prospect and Summer streets, and Edward Clarke, 
brother of John Clarke, the merchant and banker, lived on 
Round Hill, his house now forming a jiart of the buildings 
of the Clarke Institution. 

Mr. Nichols had a cow pasture northwesterly of Round 
Hill, entering it through a gate at the northerly end of 
Franklin street, near what was called the '" farm house." 
This "farm house" was connected with the Round Hill 
school of Cogswell & Bancroft when it was in successful 
operation from 1823 to 183,5. The pasture lot is now crossed 
by Arlington and Massasoit streets, and is well covered 
with liouses. On the way to and from this pasture with 
Mr. Nichols' cow I used to stop occasionally in the cider 
season at the cider mill of Ansel Jewett, opposite his resi- 
dence on Elm street. Mr. Jewett was a man rather short 
in stature, but he made up in activity what he lacked in 
size. The cider mill was about where the Paradise road is 
n6w. The apples were unloaded on the east side of the 
mill and the cider drawn otl' in the basement opening on 
the west side. 



THE (II, I> CANAI,. 

The New Haven and Northaniijton canal was in a wan- 
ing condition in 1840, but boats were running. I distinctly 
remember hearing, on a pleasant summer morning, the 
music of the bugle which was used on the boats to announce 
their arrival and departure after the maimer of the bugle 
announcement of the coming of the old stage coaches. The 
boat which had this bugle music wasjjassing at a ])oiiit near 
Park street. The storehouse now used for Warren's livery 
stable and a blacksmith's shop was in use for storing goods 
for transi)ortation. In the winter of l,s41-4"2. while attend- 
ing school at Williston Scininary, I skated from East- 
hampton to Northampton and returned on the canal. The 
canal was but little used after that time and went to decay 
rapidly at the opening of the railroad in 1845. 

THK CAMP.\IGN OF 1 840 — " TIPPECANOE AND TYLEK TOO." 

In the year 1840 occurred the great Presidential campaign 
of " Tippecanoe and Tyler too," tlie log cabin and plenty 
of hard cider. There was great excitement in this region 
and all over the country. It seemed to be a cami)aign of 
hurrah quite as much as of argument. 

There was a monster Whig meeting in Northampton on 
the 25th of March. People came in from all the surround- 
ing towns in vast numbers, blocking the roads in all direc- 
tions. All had to come with their own teams, as there was 
no other means of conveyance. A log cabin was erected 
in front of the old church, and another log cabin was made 
at Leeds, then called Stiejiard's Hollow, or "Factory Vil- 
lage," and drawn in on wheels by eight horses. This cabin 
was made under the direction of Ca])t. Sereno Kingsley, 
afterward of Haydenville, who then worked for Thomas 
Musgrave, the head of the woolen factory at Leeds. It was 
received with a great demonstration in the center, and 
liually was left on ((.xhibitioii in front of tlie cliundi. Tiiere 



were forty-livo inon on and in the cabin when it was drawn 
into town, and the combintnl weight of the cabin and men 
was estimated at five tons. 

This Whig meeting was lield in the "old ehnrch," and 
the number present was said to be '^.-oOO. filling the meeting- 
house to overflowing. There were large delegations from 
every town in the county, from Ware to Wortliington, and 
also many from outside the county. A large delegation 
came from Westfield. marching into the church while the 
Tneeting was in progress, and being received with cheers. 
Tills was one of the largest Whig meetings held in the state 
that year outside of Boston. Hon. Lewis Strong presided 
and speeches were made by Myron Lawrence of Belcher- 
town, Isaac C. Bates and Chas. P. Huntington of North- 
ampton, George Ashraun of Springfield and Gen. James 
Wilson of New Hamjishire. Mr. Bates's sjieech is de- 
scribed as "very eloquent and highly finished." Gen. 
Wilson spoke for two hours and a quarter, and captivated 
his hearers. A Whig glee club, of which Augustus 
Clarke was an active and prominent member, sang songs, 
and the meeting was in session from five to six hours, 
with an abundance of enthiisiasm, adjourning at five 
o'clock to partake of a cold lunch in the town hall, consist- 
ing of roast beef, boiled ham, bread and cheese, and " nut 
cakes." 

"Hard cider" was a prominent cry in this campaign 
among the Whigs, but in deference to the prevailing tem- 
perance revival in this region at that time not much was 
said about it in iirint. Waldo H. Whitcomb says that his 
father, David B. Whitcomb, told Iiim repeatedly that liard 
cider was freely used during the day of this Whig meeting, 
a barrel of it being on taji in the log cabin, and that Lewis 
Strong, who presided at the meeting, called for "another 
pitcher of that hard cider " to be passed up to him to re- 
fresh the speakers. 

The people of the present times have but a faint idea of 
the tremendous excitement that prevailed in that campaign. 
There was a craze which filled (he air and caiTJcd all before 



10 

it. The country was swe])t by the Whigs. The states did 
not then vote for President on the same day, but scattered 
alony frDin time to time. As state after state came in for 
Harrison their names were painted on long, narrow strips 
of canvas, which were hung from a flagstaff that stood in 
front of tlie old town liall below the court house. 

Other Whig meetings were held in this region, including 
one at Westfield and another at Springfield. The one at 
Westfield was attended by a four-horse omnibus load of 
Whigs from Northampton. I was present at Warner's 
tavern when this load of enthusiastic Whigs returned, and 
heard them give three cheers for " Old Tip." My recollec- 
tion is that Jloses Breck was with this party and was the 
one who called for and led in this round of cheers. In 1844 
he was as strong an abolitionist as he was then a Whig. 

There was a song which the Whigs used in this camjiaign 
with great effect. It began with : — . 

Whiit has caused this great commotion, motion, motion. 
Our country through 'i 
It is the ball a-rolling on. 
For Tippecanoe and Tyler too — Tippecanoe and Tyler too. 
And with them we'll l)eat little Van. Van, 

Van: Van is a used up man: 
And with them we'll beat little Van. 

And he was beaten, badly. The electoral votes stood — 
Harrison "^^-t, Van Buren (iO. 

Although it was known soon after the last elections were 
held that Gen. Harrison was elected, the precise result was 
not ascertained in Northampton until about a month later. 
News traveled slowly in those days of stage-coaches and 
twenty-five cent postage. 

SUNDAY POLITIC.M. K.M.T.IES. 

It was the practice of the Whigs to hold a political rally 
on the Sunday night next preceding the election. The cus- 
tom in those days was to observe Saturdaj' night as a jiart 
of Sunday, and Sunday was considered to close with the 
setting of the sun. There was a Whig rallv in the town 



11 

liall on the last Sunday night before the flection of 1840. 
Tiiis practice of Sunday night political meetings was used 
as a weapon by the Democi-ats, who denounced it severely, 
not because they were more pious than the Whigs, but 
because it was an effective illustration of a lack of proper 
respect for the Sabbath day, and it was discoutinned a few 
years later. 

FKW HOrSKS ON UPPER ELM STREET. 

There was at this time only one hoiise on the soiitlierly 
side of Elm street, between the junction of Prospect street 
and the residence of Sylvester Judd, just west of Paradise 
road. That one was a small one-story dwelling, occupied 
by Capt. Jonathan P. Strong, brick mason, a large, stout 
man. The brick house built by Benjamin S. Lyman now 
stands on tlie site of Captain Strong's house. Captain 
Strong was elected one of the town's four representatives 
in the legislature in 1835. and he had a swallow-tailed broad- 
cloth coat made for him in the best style of those days, 
whicli he wore while attending the sessions of the general 
court. This coat was carefully preserved by Captain Strong, 
and nearly sixty years later, long after he was dead 
and had gone to his reward, it was worn at a ''deestrict 
school " exhibition in the Edwards church parlors. It is 
still in existence and in the possession ef ex-Mayor John L. 
Mather of Elm street. From the Judd house west, there were 
four houses, the last being the Allen Clark place. That 
stood where J. C. Hammond's house now stands. The other 
houses were tlie residences of Armanda Wood, Mrs. Eunice 
Hunt, (" Aunt Eunice," as she was generally called) occu- 
pied in part by William M. Witherell, and Elihu Clark, 
father of our present city treasurer. Beyond the Allen 
Clark place there was only one house until Vernon street 
was reached. This was a little one-story affair that stood 
lengthwise to the street, and was the residence of John 
Eden, an aged Englishman, who will be furthei- spoken of 
later in these sketches. On the north side of Elm street 
there was no house west of Franklin street. 



12 



THE KKONTISPIECE. 

OLD CHIKCH, COURT HOUSE, WHITNEY BUILDING, 
PARK AND LIBERTY POLE. 

The ])iclun' of tlie Old Cluircli, Court House, Wliitiiey 
building, jjarlc ;ind liberty pole, whicli ai)})ear.s as the front- 
ispiece of this book, was tiiken in 18(34, and is tlie best pic- 
ture of the view given iu existence. It was taken at the 
instigation of the late George D. Eames, who then owned 
tlie Whitney building and carried on the tinning and 
plumbing business there many years. The picture as taken 
for Mr. Eames is sixteen and one-half inches long and 
twelve inches wide, and is remarkably clear. It was taken 
in the late fall or early spring, as is shown by the blanket 
on the horse standing in front of Eames & White's store 
and the bare trees. You see the outlines of the buildings 
and park very distinctly ; the stone steps and iron railings 
of the church and court house ; the small panes of glass 
in the windows : the stone posts in front of and around the 
court house, with the iron chain between the posts : the 
four chimneys on the easterly side of the court house — one 
for each of the fire-places in the four offices on that 'side ; 
the two weather vanes : the signs ; the bare trees ; the little 
]jark in the center of Main street ; the liberty pole and its 
braces : the railing around the park ; the stone cross-walk 
from the court house to Shop Row ; the roof of the North- 
ampton Natioujil Bank sl()])iiig to the street; the northerly 
enti'ance to the ])ark : and the time of day by the town 
clock. The large; jioster hanging in one of the front win- 
dows of the court house was an advertisement of a United 
States recruiting officer. It reads: — ''Headquarters of 
Superintendent of Recruiting for Hampshire County." The 
office of the Hampshire Gazette was in the second and 
third stories of the Whitney building. The business ofiice 
was in the front of the second story, and you see the inside 
l)linds, and the sign, "County Treasurer's Office," over the 
entrance to the stairway in the southwesterly corner of tlie 
building. When the Gazette office was removed to tliis 



u 

building in 1859, the third story was raised several feet and 
the newspaper and job offices occupied the entire third 
floor, one-half of the basement, and the front of the second 
story. The power used for running the large newspaper 
press in the basement was a hot-air engine, and this ex- 
plains the large sign on the Iniilding, " Caloric Printing 
Establishment." 

A good idea of the height of the ground where the 
church and Whitney building stood can be obtained from 
this picture. There was quite a steep pitch from the front 
of the Whitney building to the walk, and the street has 
been cut down several feet since. When the savings bank 
building was erected on the site of the Whitney building in 
1876, the site was lowered to correspond with the street, 
and the site of the church was also lowered at the same 
time. 

The liberty pole, shown so distinctly in the picture, was 
erected in ISGi, and the sticks were donated by the brothers 
Jonathan and Calvin Strong of South street. Edwin Ban- 
ister and Harry Loomis superintended its erection, and 
were assisted by William C. Pomeroy. Judge Horace I. 
Hodges collected the money to defray the expense of the 
work. It was completed just in time for hoisting the flag 
for celebr.iting the -Ith of July. 

The elm tree seen in front of the old court house is the 
one that is there now, in front of the new edifice, which 
stands a few feet farther toward King street than the old 
building. 

For this picture I am indebted to Mrs. George D. Eames, 
who is living in Providence, R. I. She saw the notice in 
the Gazette, calling for old views of the center of North- 
ampton, and generously donated this picture. Only two 
other copies of it are known to be in existence, one owned 
by Charles H. Dickinson an<l the other by Sidney E. 
Bridgman. 



THE ROUND HILL PICTrKE. 

The accompanying picture of Round Hill gives a view as 
it appeared in 1820. It is from a sketch inade ])y Miss 
Goodridge of Boston, a teacher of drawing. The firigiiial 
sketch was OA^ned by Henry Briglit, and after liis decease 
it was purchaseil hy Waldo H. and David B. Wliitconil:). 
our most noted antiquarians. On the summit is seen, on 
the left, the house of Thomas Shepherd, which was the 
first house built on the top of the hill. Ne.xt is the hoiise 
of his lii'other, Levi Shepherd, Iniilt soon afterwards, and 
the fourth house was built by Col. James Shepherd. These 
three houses stood alone on the hill until about 1824, when 
the property was sold to Cogswell & Bancroft for the 
Round Hill School, and they erected the building lietwecn 
the houses of Levi and Col. James Shepherd, also the 
most northerly building, and made the connections, giving 
the buildings their appearance as shown in this picture. 
Below, on Prospect street, is the old Stoddard house, owned 
in 1828 by Seth Wright, in 1840 by Charles C. Nichols. 
afterward bj' Dr. Benjamin Barrett, and now by Henry H. 
Hinckley. On the extreme left is the " Talbot house," Ijuilt 
by Judge Samuel Howe, and now forming a part of Miss 
Capen's school for young ladies. On the extreme right is 
the " Bowers house," built by Henry G. Bowers, after- 
ward owned and occupied by Henry Bright, and now by 
Dr. Blodgett of Smith College. The old gambrcl-roof 
house on the southerly corner of Prospect and Park sti-eets, 
was owned by Sylvanus Phelps, and on its site now stands 
the fine brick residence of tlie late James R. Truml>ull. 
The house lielow, a little to the right, was tht? old lunise of 
David B. Whitcomb. A meat-cart is .seen in the iviad. 
going up the hill, toward Prospect street. 



CHAPTER II. 

COMES TO TOWN TO BE A I'KINTEK — THE EARLY NEWSPAPERS, 
HAMPSHIRE HERALD, HAMPSHIRE GAZETTE, NORTHAMITON COUR- 
IER, NORTHAMPTON DEMOCRAT— EDITORS THAYER, HAWLEY, SMITH. 
TYLER, TABOR, AND APOLLCS MUNN. 

Here shall the Press the People's rights maintain, 

UuawM l)y inrtuenco and unbrib'd by gain; ' 

Here patriot Truth !ior glorious precepts draw. 

Pledg'd to Holigiou, Liberty and Law. 

— Joseph Story — Motto of Salem Rvgiatvr. 

On March 5th, 1845, the day after the inauf^iiration of 
James K. Polk as President, I came to Nortliampton to 
learn the printer's trade. I had been living at Haydenville, , 
with my uiich^ and guardian, Samuel S. Wells, doing chores, 
and working in the button factory and in J. &. J. Hayden's 
store. One day about March 1 Mr. Wells was in North- 
ampton, and saw Dea. J. P. Williston, who, with Joel 
Haj'den of Haydenville, had just started the Hampshire 
Herald, an abolition paper, to advocate anti-slavery prin- 
ciples. They wanted a boy in the printing office, and I was 
sent in, on horseback, "to see and be seen" and to "talk 
it over" with Mr. Williston. I met Mr. Williston in his 
office, also Mr. Abijah W. Thayer, the editor, in the edito- 
rial room, and after conferences with them agreed to come 
in and begin service. 

At the time appointed 1 arrived, with a two dollar bill in 
my pocket and a scant supply of shirts and stockings, and 
was set at work to " learn the case." The office was in the 
third story of Masonic block, since known as the Wright 
block, and now owned by Judge Sterling. Tlie part occu- 

1 



17 

pied by the Herald office now forms the northerly part of 
Grand Army hall. Mr. Williston hail his office in the front 
of the second story. At noon I was sent to board with 
William D. Clapp, on South street, in the house recently 
torn down, west of Col. Williams's home lot. My " bringing 
up" had never included entering a house through the front 
door — the back door was the place for boys in Williams- 
burg. So, when I arrived at Mr. Clapp's, I went around 
to the shed and rapped at the rear entrance. Mr. Clapp had 
seen me go around and was already there, and ho gave me 
a very cordial greeting. I shall never forget it. It came at 
a time when it was most needed and could be appreciated. 
He was a hearty, whole-souled man, intelligent and com- 
panionable, and I found in him a good friend and a ready 
helper. For four years and a half, until I was married 
and began housekeeping, I boarded in the family of this 
good man. 

Mr. Clapp was a very devout man and had daily devo- 
tional exercises in his home. He was fluent and gifted in 
speech and prayer and was a leader in church affairs and 
often officiated in evening meetings and sometimes at fun- 
erals. His wife was a Miss Chapin, who h.ad been an inmate 
of the family of Deacon Williston's wife's father, Asahel 
Lyman, at Smith's Ferry. Her mother, Mrs. Chapin, lived 
with her during the whole time that I boarded there. It 
was their uniform custom to discuss the Sunday sermon on 
returning from church, and this they would do before the 
ladies removed their bonnets, and do it with an eagerness 
which told of their deep interest in the preacher's words. 

As to wages, I was to have $30 the first year, .$35 the 
second year, and -$40 the third year, and board. The price 
of board at Mr. Clapp's was 61.50 a week, including wash- 
ing. After a year or two the price was raised to SI. 75 a 
week, and when I was married in 1849 I paid him $2 a 
week, or $4 a week for myself and wife. That was about 
the ruling rate for board in the town. 

After I had been in the office about a year, Foreman 
Bonney fell sick on the day of issuing the jiajjer. Mr. 



18 

Williston was in trouble to know wliat to do in such a 
situation — press day and no pressman. It occurred to me 
that I was equal to the emergency ; so I took hold of the 
press and jnilled off the entire edition, much to the sur- 
prise and gratification of Mr. Williston, who presented me 
with a one-dollar bill on the Northami)ton bank. That 
was the biggest dollar I Lave ever seen. 

One Sunday evening, a few weeks after I came to town, 
Mr. Clapp invited me, by way of entertainment, to visit the 
Washington ians. There had been a great temperance revi- 
val among the rum-drinker.'; and they had formed an asso- 
ciation. Mr. Williston had given them his encouragement 
and aid, and furnished them with a room in his building 
in which to meet. The revival at the time of my arrival 
in town was on the wane and there were onlj' three or four 
of the veterans i)resent. Among them were Col. Josiah 
Dickinson, familiarly known as " Colonel Shail," maker of 
the wooden puinjis then in common use, George Bennett, 
the tinner, and William M. WitliiTcll. They sat around 
the large wood box-stove and talked. 

There were then three other weekly papers published in 
the town, whose population was about 4,500— the Hamp- 
shire Gazette, by William A. Hawlej' ; the Northampton 
Courier, by Josiah W. Smith ; and the Northampton 
Democrat, by Stephen J. W. Tabor. Mr. Tabor came 
from Shelburne Falls and was not here long. The aboli- 
tionists had received no favors from any of these ])apers. 
The Gazette and the Courier were both strongly Whig, 
which was the ruling party in town and county, and the 
Democrat was stronglj' Democratic. The abolitionists were 
a des{)ised set and wore regarded as meddlers with the af- 
fairs of other parties, with no prospect of accomplishing 
any good. They were few in number. In the election of 
1840 they had cast thirty-three vot(!S in Northampton for 
James G. Birney for President, and 100 in 1844. In the 
entire county their vote in 1844 was 501. In 1840, it was in 
the county about 200, and was reported in the Gazette 
under the head of " scattering.'" 



19 

The Herald met with a cold reception from the Whigs, 
who formed a large majority of the voters of the towu and 
county. They owed the abolitionists no good will, as their 
pet candidate for President, Henry Clay, had been defeated 
in the election of 1844 by the abolition votes. A consider- 
able number of copies of the first issue of the Herald were 
distributed about town gratuitously. Moses Breck was 
then a zealous abolitionist, and he took the papers and dis- 
tributed them himself. One man. a zealoiis Whig, who had 
a shop on Main street, near the Warner House, manifested 
his disapprobation of the paper and its principles by picking 
up the copy which Jlr. Breck had thrown into his doorway 
with a pair of tongs and depositing it outside in the street. 
This undoubtedly illustrated the feelings of many others 
of that political faith at that time. 

Another instance showing the bitterness of feeling that 
prevailed against the abolitionists occurred in the Herald 
office. An active Whig worker had been sent by a sub- 
scriber to pay up aud stoj) his paper. Editor Thayer was 
unable to give him enough change, when the Whig poli- 
tician said : " Never mind about the change ; it's worth 
that to do the business." 

It is fair to say that in the evolution of political parties 
that followed, both of these intense anti-abolitionists be- 
came staunch anti-slavery men and did great work for 
the Republican cause and the cause of the Union in the 
Civil war. 

With such bitter feeling existing it was little wonder 
that the Herald made small headway. Many of the mer- 
chants and other business men, most of whom were Whigs, 
refused to advertise in it, and its circulation being small, 
about 1000, it did not pay expenses. Editor Thayer was 
not a peacemaker or a patronage-getter. He was a natural 
controversialist, and nothing suited him better than to an- 
tagonize some one in print. He was a dangerous antagonist. 
He paid more attention to political matters than to news 
and such reading as was of interest to all classes of people, 
and thereby offended and drove away many who, with a 



2d 

more atti\active policy, might have been patrons of his pa- 
per. The Gazette pursued the latter policy. While strongly 
Whig, and often severe against the ojiponents of the Whig 
party, it gave more of the general news of the times, and 
was therefore more acceptable to the general i)ulilic. I liave 
before me, as I write, a copy of the Hampshire Republican 
of Nov. 4, 1840, the last issue before the Presidential elec- 
tion of that year. Apollus Munn was the editor, assisted by 
Mr. Tabor. There is not a single news item in the paper. 
All the matter is political, and it is red hot. There are 
columns of large pica type, attractive full face catch-lines, 
capital letters, italics and exclamation points, in abundance, 
all denoting the intense excitement of the times. Apollus 
Munn seems to have been a famous character in liis day. 
I never saw him, but many a time I have heard him spoken 
of by his surviving contemporaries as a man who kept 
political affairs extremelj' lively. 

The Gazette was the only paper in town that was printed 
on a power press — the others were printed on hand presses. 
The Gazette office was in the second story of the "Lyman 
block," just east of Judge Lyman's residence, or where 
Boyden's restaurant now stands. The Courier office was 
in the Whitney building, between the old church and the 
coui't house, where the Northampton Institution for Savings 
now stands. The Democrat was printed in the second story 
of the wooden building now standing on Pleasant street, 
opposite R. E. Edwanls's furniture stoi'e in Cook's block. 

The Gazette had an old Adams power press, which was 
bouglit second-hand in Brattleboro in 1841. It was run 
by hand-])ower, and Alexander Edwards turned the crank 
that moved the large fly wheel. It was laborious work that 
he did and he earned all that he received for liis labor. 
The Herald had an improved Washington hand press, with 
a self-inking apparatus, that was operated by the same 
power that moved the bed to and fro. This was considered 
to be a wonderful invention. I remember that Hiram Ferry, 
a veteran printer, father of our Sydenham N. Ferry, came 
in one day to see it work, and he expressed great surprise 



21 

at its successful operation. The old way was for an extra 
hand to distribute the ink on the roller, work it on a cyl- 
inder, and apply to the type while the ])ressnian removed 
the sheet he had pi'inted and put another sheet on the 
"tympan." There was work about all this, the like of 
wliicli the laboring; man of today knows little. The writer 
worked at this hand press twelve years. There was a turn- 
ing motion of the pressman as he swung back and forth, 
and in the old Courier office, where Free Soil doctrines were 
turned out weekly, a hole was worn through the floor by 
the grinding of the pressman's heel. 

The work of typesetting was mostly done by apprentice 
boys, of whom there were three or four in each office. In 
the Herald office, there were three boys, Hervey J. Smith, 
now of Fort street, from Amherst, being one. Oliver E. 
Bouney, brother of Dr. Franklin Bonney of Hadley, was 
foreman. He had recently completed an apprenticeship in 
the printing office of J. S. & C. Adams in Amherst. The 
apprentice boys usually boarded with the editor, and spent 
their evenings in the office, visiting eacli other occasionally. 
The late James R. Trumbull, the city historian, was the 
leading appi'entice in the Gazette office at that time. 

Mr. Hawley was an industrious worker and managed the 
Gazette with prudence, safety and profit. The Whigs gave 
him tlieir undivided support, and he gave the Whig party 
a sujjport brave and loyal. He was sent to the legislature 
three years, once as a representative and twice as a senator. 
After he retired from the paper in 1853, on account of 
im])aired health, he was appointed high sheriff by Gov. 
Clifford, and was succeeded in 1855 by Henry A. Longley, 
who received his commission from Gov. Gardner. Mr. 
Smith of the Courier was not a very aggressive man, and 
as editor failed to make much imi)ression iipon the commu- 
nity, though a man of kindly disposition and gentlemanly 
manners. The Democratic editors were chiefly distinguished 
for the noise and dust they raised on the flanks and rear of 
the advancing army of Whigs. 

In 18i7, Editor Thayer had a call to go to Worcester, to 



22 

take the editorial charge of a newspaper tliere. It was a 
question witli Mr. Williston what to do with the Herald. 
It was not pacing exj)enses, and he seriously contemjjlaled 
stopping its publication. One <laj' he proj)osed to me that 
I should take the paper aud see what I could do with it. 
I had published several numbers of a small paper called the 
" Holyoke Mountaineer," doing this work evenings, with 
the help of some other boys., It was a responsible under- 
taking. I was only nineteen years of age, without business 
experience or training, but with an abundance of energy 
and zeal, and exceptionally good health. I hesitated about 
taking the paper alone, but fellow-apprentice Smith agreed 
to join in the undertaking, and for a year we published it, I 
doing the editing, and both working at the case and press. 

In 18-18, came a turn in the political tide. The much 
despised and derided abolitionists were growing in number 
aud strength. The revolt of the followers of A^an Buren 
in New York, resulting in the organization of the " Barn- 
burners," and the revolt of anti-slavery Whigs and Demo- 
crats in New Hampshire, resulting in the election of John 
P. Hale to tlie United States senate, and the revolt of the 
" Conscience Whigs" in Massachusetts, contributed largely 
to swell the ranks of the Free Soil party, the legitimate suc- 
cessor of the Liberty party. The Wliigs nominated Gen. 
Zachary Taylor, a Louisiana slaveholder, for President, 
and tlie anti-slavery elements united on Martin Van Buren 
as their candidate. The Courier, which had been leaning 
toward the anti-slavery side, joined the Free Soil ranks, 
making with the Herald two papers here advocating the 
anli-slavery princij)k's, where only one was needeil. It was 
therefore deemed best by the leading sui)i)orters of the 
Herald that the two papers sliould be united, and this was 
done in August, 1848. I then went into the Courier office 
as foreman and assistant editor, at 88 a week, aud remained 
in that position until April 1, 1849, when the Courier estab- 
lishment came into my possession by purchase, the price 
being 81200. 

The Courier had been owned aud edited by Rev. William 



23 

Tyler, a retired Congregational minister, a good man, 
but in no way fitted to run a newspaper. He lacked tact 
and abilitj' to adapt himself to the practical side of affairs. 

I published the Courier until Nov. 1, 1858, when the 
Courier and the Gazette, the only papers in the town at 
that time, were united and the combined paper was en- 
larged. The Republican party, recently formed, was very 
strong in Hampshire county, and one paper of that politi- 
cal faith was all that was thought to be necessary. This 
union of papers was quite acceptable to the public, and 
proved to be profitable to its publishers. 

The newspapers of the period previous to 1850 paid little 
attention to local matters compared with what they are 
doing now. Only matters of importance were noticed. 
There were no local correspondents, as now. When any- 
thing occurred in any of the towns that was considered 
worth noticing it was expected that some one interested in 
it would send in a brief mention of it, or call at the news- 
paper office and tell the editor. Clergymen were expected 
to send in notices of marriages, and town clerks to report 
the election returns when requested. So not much came in. 
What little was gathered by the editor from persons who 
came to his office or whom he met about town was scattered 
around in the paper among the news items from abroad. 
There was no general gathering of the local news until after 
1850, when the practice was first begun in the Northampton 
Coui-ier. Once begun it spread, and by 1857 the Courier 
published ten columns of local matter a week. To show 
how little attention was paid to local matters in the earlier 
years it is necessary to mention only a single fact. When 
the old church was dedicated in 1812, an edifice that was a 
fine piece of architecture and the pride of the town, and 
there were nearly thirteen hundred people within its walls, 
not aline of report of the exercises appeared in the Gazette, 
or in any other paper. The only mention of the great event 
was a four line item in the last issue before the dedication, 
stating that on the Wednesday following " the meeting- 
house would be dedicated." Tln' editor probably thought 



24 

tliat, as nearly all of his subscribers were present at the 
dedit'ation, no mention of it in liis ])ai)er was necessary. 
Such an event now would call for a i)icture of the edifice, 
a description of its interioi'. a iletailed statement f)f its con- 
struction, a history of the cliurch and ])arish, a portrait and 
sketch of the pastor, with various matter relating to the 
ancient organization, filling six to eight columns. 

When tlie Courier was making its great effort to gather 
the local news in 1857 and 1858. it was greatly aided in that 
work by L. N. Clark, son of Dr. Horace Clark, who lived 
in the Pine Gi'ove district, and now the vetei'an editor of 
the Westfiold Times. He was then just entering upon liis 
early manhood and was full of zeal and enthusiasm. His 
special field was West Farms and Florence, and these he 
faitlifully worked. Tliis was the beginning of his long 
and successful career in newspaper life. 

After being in the printing office a few months, Benjamin 
North of Leeds, a well known trader and pedler in his times, 
called at the Herald office. He shook hands with me in a 
very cordial manner, saying in his fi-ank and hearty way : 
"Ah I I like to shake hands with an honest man I " That 
pleased me immensely, and I felt highly flattered by it, 
but it puzzled me to see how he came to know that I was 
honest, as I never had had any business dealings with i'lim. 
I knew that I was honest myself, but how could he know 
it? I learned afterwards tliat the remark meant nothing, 
as he said it to everyone with whom he shook hands. It 
was his way of introducing himself as a trader. Anotlier 
favorite expression of his, by way of ejaculation, was "Bite- 
megs !" He was a short, stout man, jolly and hearty. He 
lived in a house that stood where Lucius Di mock's house 
now stands, and ran the store which Mr. Ross now owns. 

The newspapers of this period were mainly distributed 
in this region by jjostriders. There were routes running 
to Easthampton and Southampton ; to Westlianipton, Nor- 
wich, Chester and :\riddleficld : to Chesterfield and W.irth- 
ington ; to Williamsburg, Goshen, Cummington and Plain- 
field ; to Wliately, Conway, Ashfield and Bnckland : to 



•25 

Hatfield : to Hadley. Amherst and Belchertown ; to Hock- 
aiuim. South Hadley and Granby. The numl)er of papers 
sent in the mails was small. Several of the postriders came 
in the day before publication, bringing butter, eggs, and 
other farm produce. The papers were issued at noon on 
Tuesday, and the postmen started out as soon as they ob- 
tained their supply. 

At this time — about 1845 — Oliver Warner, the elder, a 
spare man, yet hale and vigorous, was keeper of the 
Warner Tavern : Capt. Jonathan Brewster, large, tall, 
well-proportioned, and resolute, kept the Mansion House; 
Solomon Stoddard, father of William H., spare and thin, 
gray-haired, aged and feeble, lived in a garabrel-roofed 
house on Elm street, just north of the Catholic church : 
Wni. W. Partridge, many years selectman, auctioneer, and 
man of general affairs, was in his prime ; Ansel Wright, 
deputy sheriff, constable, merchant, and settler of many 
estates, was in the height of his physical vigor and business 
activity ; Harvey Kirkland was just beginning his long 
service as register of deeds, manager of Hampshire fire 
insurance companj^ secretary of agricultural society, and 
town clerk, and was perhaps as prominent a business man 
as any in town ; Josiah D. Whitney was cashier of the 
Northampton bank, and Deacon Eliphalet Williams the 
president ; Capt. Samuel Parsons, leading farmer, ruler of 
men and swayer of town meetings, was in his best years ; 
Benjamin North, hearty and cordial, pedler and traveling 
trader, was keeping a country store at " Sliepherd's Hol- 
low;" John Hannum, the only and original John, watch and 
clock repairer, was in his prime ; Stoddard & Lathrop were 
the principal dry goods merchants; the maiden sisters, 
Soj)liia and Cecelia Osborn (S. & C. Osborn) were the lead- 
ing milliners, with another maiden, " Aunt Sarah " Clark, 
doing business in the same line : George W. Benson was at 
the head of the " Bensonites " at Florence; David Lee 
Child, of literary and political eminence, was running a farm 
west of Florence; Ithamar Conkey of Amherst was judge 
of probate ; Dr. Daniel Stebbins, old and infirm, was about 



26 

closing his career of thirty-three j'ears as county treasurer ; 
Sj'lvester Judd. tlie antiijuuiiaii and historian, was hard at 
work in his researches of old records and recording the 
recollections of old people ; Rev. George E. Day, now pro- 
fessor at Yale university, was pastor of the Edwards church ;. 
Dr. Wiley had just been dismissed from the pastorate of 
the old church and Rev. E. Y. Swift was .settled ; Dr. David 
Ruggles, nearly blind, but endowed with a remarkable 
physical healing power, was at the head of the water-cure 
establishment in Florence ; Thomas Shepherd was post- 
master ; and the sound of the bugle was heard on the stage 
coaches as they came in from every direction. 

There was not a hack nor a barouche kept for public use 
in the town. When the railroad was opened in 1845 the 
Warner House sent a carriage to the depot to convey pas- 
sengers to its doors free of charge. For this purpose one of 
the old stage-coaches that had been thrown out of business 
by the incoming railroad was used. There were but few 
barouches kept in town by private parties. Samuel L. 
Hinckley, the high sheriiY. had one, and in his time Judge 
Joseph Lyman liad one. 

When I came to town, and for many years afterward, 
there was no such thing as a vacation for any one. When 
I wanted to be gone fnjm the printing office for a day, 
whi<'li was not often, I gained the time by doing extra work 
in advance. I never had a vacation of any sort until I was 
nearly thirty years old. Work began at seven in the morn- 
ing and ended at six iu the evening. This was the rule in 
all occupations, e.xcept with the farmers, who worked from 
.sunrise to sunset. Th(! vacation custom began iu the six- 
ties, and has been spreading ever since, until it embraces 
nearly every person. 

There were six religious societies here in 1845 — the Old 
Church, the Edwards, Unitarian, Baptist, Episcopalian, 
and Methodist, each with a meeting-house of its own, 
except the Methodist, which met in the old town hall. 
There was a small choir, located in the northerly corner of 
the hall, and William Lavake played the large bass viol, 



27 

The society liad no organ, or musical instrument of any 
kind, except those of the violin type. The congregation 
was small. With the growth of the town, six more 
religious societies have been added. 

HON. LEWIS strong's GREAT INFLUENCE. 

In the old days the ruling class in Northampton con- 
sisted of a few men. The leaders were looked to for ad- 
vice, and their advice was accepted. In the later years of 
Parson Williams's ministry there arose some dissatisfac- 
tion with him, which assumed such proportions that a 
town meeting was called to consider the matter. When 
the meeting was held, Hon. Lewis Strong, a son of Gov- 
ernor Caleb Strong, was present to address it. He was a 
plausible and forcible speaker, and a peace-maker. After 
he had spoken, all opposition ceased. I had this from 
Capt. Jonathan P. Strong, who was present at this meet- 
ing. He said, forty years after the meeting, that he re- 
membered it as distinctly as if it was held only yesterday. 
No one dared to lisp a word of opposition after Deacon 
Sti'ong had poured his oil of harmony upon the troubled 
waters. It was Mr. Strong's practice, whenever any ques- 
tion of public importance arose, and there was a division 
of sentiment upon ic, to write an article for the Hampshire 
Gazette, over the signature of "Hampshire." This gen- 
erally settled the matter. 



PICTURE OK THE CENTER OF MAIN STREET. 

This view of the center of Nortli.imj)ton, as it appeared 
sixty-four years ago, when the population of the town was 
about 3700, is from a sketch made by John W. Barber, and 
published in his Historical Collections in 1841. In general 
the view is admirable, though lacking the accui'acy of a 
photograph. The old church, court house, Whitney build- 
ing, old town hall, Warner tavern. Granite Row, Clarke 
block at the easterly end of Shop Row, and the Theodore 
Strong house, are all shown just as they were. You see 
the .stone wall that ran from the west corner of the town 
hall, and the stairway leading down from the balcony in 
front of the entrance to the hall. The little elm that 
stands near the end of the stone wall is now the stately 
elm that stands in front of the new court house. The 
three-cornered giiidepost in the fork of the roads at the 
entrance tfi King street is shown, one of the old-time feat- 
ures of the town. You see what a beautiful residence the 
Theodore Strong house was, so stately and symmetrical. 
The beautiful shade trees in the distance were there. The 
old stage coach, with its baggage behind, seems to be just 
coming in from Boston. There was nothing below Pleas- 
ant street, until Gov. Caleb Strong's house was reached, 
near the site of the present Hampshire House. On the 
whole, this is a very valuable picture, and presents some 
features that are not given iu any other view. 



CHAPTER III. 

MAIN" STREET — SOUTHERLY SIDE, FROM WEST STREET TO BRIDGE STREET, 
AS IT WAS IN 1845, WITH BRIEF MENTION OF SOME OF THE OLD 
MERCHANTS. 

How cruelly sweet are the echoes that start. 
When memory plays an old tuue on the heart! 

— Eliza Cook, IKU. 

I shall try to give a description of the center of North- 
ampton as I saw it in the years 18-40 to 1845. But no pen 
can describe it and give to the picture the flavor which 
came with the visible reality. A rural village it was, beau- 
tifully situated, on bhifl's skirting the wide-spreading mead- 
ows, its streets lined with towering elms, with those gems 
of the valley, Mounts Holyoke and Tom, in the distance — 
old-fashioned in its l)uildings, quaint in the manners and 
customs of its peo])le, it presented the a))pearance of a typ- 
ical old-time New England shire town of the first class. It 
had fine residences foY those days, and fine people. Its 
stores were inferior in appearance, both outside and inside, 
and of scant dimensions. Some of them were of brick, the 
others of wood. The street lines in tlie center were much 
as they are now, except that east of the junction of King 
and Pleasant streets witli Main street, the center street has 
been considerably narrowed by the erection of buildings on 
either side. There were no pavements of sti-eets, no mac- 
adamized roads, and few sidewalks, except those of gravel. 
Crossing Main street, o])posite the old ciiurcli. tlie court 
house, and Charles Smith's store at the ujjjjer end of Shop 
Row, there were stone walks, much worn by years i)f travel. 

Along Shop Row there was a crude, uneven brick walk, 

so 



31 

and a stone walk from Judge Lyman's house to the court 
house. 

Originally there was a considerable hill near the ('(^uter 
of Main street, in front of the present old church, on whicli 
was erected the first meeting-house, and on which the suc- 
cessive meeting-houses stood for one hundred and fifty 
years. This hill sloped to the four points of the compass, 
east, west, north and south, and was called in the early 
records, " meeting-house hill." It has been cut down from 
time to time until as a hill it has almost wholly disappeared. 
Its original height was several feet higher than it is now. 
The land at the foot of this hill on King street was several 
feet lower than at present. Originally there was a consid- 
erable ravine extending from King street across Main street 
to Pleasant street and thence to South street in the rear of 
Shop Row. 

Shop Row was boguti in 1709, with the, erection of Dr. 
Ebenezer Hunt's apothecary shop, on the present site of 
C. B. Kingsley's drug store. The store of Merritt Clark, 
next west of the drug store, was begun in 1803. In 1840 
Shop Row began with the Merritt Clark block, then occu- 
pied by Charles Smith & Co., and ended with a three-story 
brick store on the site of the present Clarke block, then 
occupied by Augustus Clarke. 

Let us begin at the upper end of Main street and come 
along down on the southerly side. The house of Dr. Hig- 
bee, next west of the Baptist church, was occupied by 
George Bennett and his wife. Bennett was a tinner and 
made the little tin boxes for J. P. Williston's indelible ink. 
His wife, a small, spare woman, was partially demented, 
and used to walk about the streets, saying to almost every 
one she met, "We all have to do just as everybody says," a 
remark that embodied more truth perhaps than she was 
aware of. Mr. Bennett was also a small man, old and 
somewhat broken physically. He had been of intemjjerate 
habits and Mr. Williston became interested in him and 
helped him to reform and earn a living by giving him em- 
ployment. 



3^ 

The Baptist clnircli was there mainly as it is now, except 
that it has been improved in appearance by the erection of 
a tower. Rev. D. M. Crane was the pastor— a short, thick- 
set man, moderate in speech, and of a kindly disposition. 
He had much to do with the schools, and was for many 
years the general agent of the school board. 

In the early years of the Baptist church, the basement of 
its meeting-house was iised for a carpenter shop and for 
the headquarters of the Hook and Ladder and Sack and 
Bucket fire companies. Deacon Joseph Haskins, one of 
the leading men of the Baptist chui'ch, had his carpenter 
shop there, and in 1836 Amasa D. Wp.de sent in a bill to 
the town " for repairs in basement of Baptist church for 
use of Hook and Ladder Co., S4.64." Josiah Dickinson 
and William Preston are named as workmen on the job, 
four daj's, at 75 cents a day. 

The old New Haven canal was then in operation, running 
under the street opposite the west corner of the new high 
school house. The bridge was a stone archway. The 
canal was carried over Mill river and the highway just 
below the " Lower Mills'" by a viaduct, and after the canal 
was abandoned the earth embankment nf this viaduct on 
the .south side of the river was carted off to build the 
Maple street dike. The canal never realized the expecta- 
tions of its builders, and was a great loss to them and a 
sore disappointment to the town. 

The first building below the canal was a small, square, 
one-story shoj), in which Charles P. Kingsley, the grand- 
father of our druggist C. B. Kingsley, kei)t a little grocery, 
afterwards moving to the canal storehouse, in the west 
part, where he did business until he died in 18-1'4. This lit- 
tle wooden building was erected on the Asahel Pomei"oy 
lot, since known as "Granite Row," and was used for an 
office, Dr. Benjamin Barrett having his office in it. It was 
moved off to make room for a larger building. It is still 
in existence, and is about the only building in the center 
that remains just as it wiis when it was erected about sev- 
enty years ago. It stands on Crafts avenue, just east of 



city hall, and is occupied hy C W. Mack for a jihimber's 
shop. 

Next below the canal was the girls' school house, on the 
site of the South street hoiilevard. This was a brick build- 
ing, standing a considerable distance back from Main 
street. It was on land given to the town for school pur- 
poses by Dr. Barrett. It was erected about 1836, and for 
some years was used only for a girls' school, the school for 
boys being in the open lot in the rear, of the old church. 
Later it was used for a school for both boys and girls. 

We come now to the homestead of Edwin Kingslej% on 
land at present occupied by the Academy of Music. This 
was a two-story brick house, on the site of a wooden house 
erected in 1792 by Nathaniel Day. The old house was 
moved to the rear and used for tenements. Air. Kingsley's 
blacksmith shop, a low brick building, stood east of his 
house, fronting on the street, and there he and his .son, 
Lyman Kingsley, worked early and late, doing the principal 
blacksmithing for the town. Mr. Kingsley died at an 
advanced age, leaving an estate of nearh' §100,000, the ac- 
cumulation of a long life of industry and economy. He 
was a small, spare man, who attended strictly to his own 
business. 

Below the Kingsley property were what are now known 
as the Jacob Holley house and barn, where Asahel Wood 
kept a livery. The barn was erected for staging purposes 
in the years of the stage coach. It stands now much as 
it was when built, and the house remains the same. 

Below the Holley pro])erty, in front of the J. H. Prindle 
house, was a dwelling house, near the street, known in 1845 
as the " Dullard house." Back of this house stood a two- 
story building which had been used for the manufacture of 
hats, and on its easterly side was painted in large letters, 
" Hat Factory." The house in the rear, since owned and 
occupied by Charles Smith and his son-in-law, Josiah H. 
Prindle, was in 1845 owned and occupied by Alarcus T. 
Moody, who kept a furniture wareroom in a wooden two- 
story building on the opposite side of the street. It was in 



34 

this old hat factory that our respected fellow-citizen, Dea- 
con James Harvoy Searle, first began business as a furni- 
ture dealer. He opened a shop there in 1844, but remained 
only about a year, when he became associated with Silas 
M. Smith, in the same business, back of the court house. 

Next east of the hat factory was the open lot of Judge 
Lyman, now occupied l)y the Clarke library, and next was 
the Unitarian cliurch. now sliowiiit^ llic same stately front 
as when it was erected in IS-^'G. 

From the Unitarian cliurdi to South street, a charming 
spot, was the beautiful homestead of Ebenezer Hunt, 
which will be furtiier noticed later on in these reminis- 
cences. 

Dr. Hunt had a line apple orchard on the hillside, and 
lots of his choice Spitzenbuigs and Long Johns found their 
way lip inli) the Herald oHice. 

The present city hall was built in 1840-50 on the Hunt 
property. There had been a contest over the matter in the 
town meetings for several years. Finally it was decided 
to build, tlie total cost not to exceed §15,000. A committee 
of thirteen ]»romiiient citizens was appointed, with full 
power to select a .site and erect a building. The com- 
mittee consisted of David Damon. John Clarke. Jo.sei)li 
Conant, Samuel Wells. Azariah Claj)]). Seth Strong. 
Lyman Kingsley. Winthi-oj) Hillyer. Amos H. Bullen. 
Josiah Hunt. Lum;in IJai'tlett, Frtnierick A. Clark, Charles 
P. Huntington. The committee first voted to erect the 
hall on the site of the old town hall, on the court house lot. 
but before they could begin the work a syndicate of eight 
citizens, including Enos Parsons, Cliarles Smith. Ansel 
Wright. Samuel B. Woodwai-d. Samuel Ij. Hinckley. 
Josei)h I. West. William Clark, and Winthrop Hillyer, 
]nii-(iiase(l of his wicldw the homestead of the late Ebeuezer 
Hunt, for 80,000. and offered the town a site for the new 
hall for .§2,500. This offer was accepted, and the building 
was begun in 1840 and completed in 1850. The remainder 
of the pi-operty remained in the jiossession of tlie syndicate 
a number of years, witliout any sales, until the members 



35 

became wearied with lioldiiig it, and the whole of it was 
finally taken by Capt Parsons, who erected for himself a 
fine residence there, now Rahar's Inn. He sold the corner 
lot. )iext to Soutli strec't, to Wiiitlii'oj* Ilillyer, who erected 
a two-story storehouse ou it, with a roof sloping north 
and south. Tiiis building was afterward sold to Merrill 
W. Jackson, wim cnlargccl it to its ])resent dimensions. 
This was the first building for business purposes erected 
on the Hunt property. 

Crossing old South street we come to the old home lot of 
Deacon Ebenezer Hunt. On the corner of this lot stood 
the Edwards church, erected in 1833, a low brick building, 
with a small steeple, the whole presenting an inferior 
ajipcarance. Its vestry was in the southerly part of the 
basement, the entrance being on the west side, near the 
southerly end. 

We now come to a structure of historic interest, the old 
gaml)rel-roofed house of Deacon Ebenezer Hunt, the hatter. 




FIRST EDWARDS CHURCH AND ol.l) HINT HdlSE. 



3G 

In its day it was one of the priacipal residences of the 
town. You see it in the picture, as viewed from the War- 
ner House on tlie opposite side of the street. It was erected 
in 1770, and was successively occupied by Dea. Elienezer 
Hunt. Dr. Elxniezer Hunt, an.d Dj-. David Hunt, and stood 
one hundred years, until it was destroyed by fire in 1870. 
Tlie same fire also destroyed the i-Cil wards church. At the 
time of its destruction it was owned by the Benjamin 
North estate, and was used for stores and workshops. John 
Hannum, the watchmaker, had a .shop in the second story, 
on the west side, and it was in that shop that Samuel 
Wells, the clerk of the courts, was fatally shot while hand- 
ling a pistol in October, 1804. The stores below had been 
occupied by Wm. F. Arnold, Arnold & Searle, Arnold & 
Tillotson, Walter W. Pease, and R. J. Fair, dry goods. 

It should be noted here, that there were quite a number 
of similar gambrel-roofed houses erected in town in the 
latter half of the eighteenth century. Among them were 
the houses of Solomon Stoddard on Elm street, just north 
of the Catholic church, lately owned by Smith college ; the 
Dr. Samuel A. Fisk house on King street, occupied in 1845 
by Dr. Charles Walker, dentist ; the Hubbjird house on 
Bi'idge street, lately the residence of Jcdm W. Hubbard ; 
the Osborn house on Pleasant Street, occupied by the 
Osborn sisters : the Governor Strong house on Pleasant 
street, removed from Main street, lately occupied by Dr, 
Knowlton : and the Judge Henshaw house ou Elm street, 
now owned by Bishop F. D. Huntington. These were of 
the highest type of architecture for dwelling houses in 
their time, and are not surpassed in symmetrical pr(ii)nr- 
tions by the more modern structurt^s. 

Now as to "Shop Row."" This was the common luiine 
for the first row of stores, though after 1850 it began to be 
called by the more dignified name of "Merchants Row." 
But in the common talk of people it was more often called 
" Shop Row. ■■ It should be remembered that the Shop Row 
of those days was not the Shop Row of today. Every 
building on the Row, from Soutli street to Pleasant street, 



has been either built new or remodeled so as to com- 
pletely c-liiuige its exterior, with a single exception, that of 
the block comprising the Cook jewelry store and the old 
Butler bookstore. This block remains as to its front as it 
was built in 1838, but it has been extended in the rear so as 
to more than double the size of the stores. 

The merchants on Sliop Row were, at the west end, 
Charles Smith & Co., (the " Co." being Marvin M. French, 
who served an apprenticeship with Mr. Smith). They 
were "merchant tailors," and sold ready-made clothing 
and all kinds of gents" furnishing goods. The same busi- 
ness is carried on there now by Merritt Clark & Co., and 
there has been no interrui)tion to it for .sixty yeai's. 

In the store next below, nmv the drug store of C. B. 
Kingsley, was Winthrop Hillyer. This was the original 
store on Shi:)p Row. established by Dr. Ebenezer Hunt in 
1768. Mr. Hillyer kept drugs and groceries, the same as 
his predecessors had done. He was clerk for Dr. Hunt and 
after Dr. Hunt's retirement he ' took the business and 
amassed a handsome fortune during his long business 
career. He was a man of retiring manners, courteous and 
iinobtrusive in his intercourse with people, and well read 
in literature. The drug store enjoys the singular distinc- 
tion of having been devoted to only one business from its 
establishment, a period of 134 years. 

Among Mr. Hillyer's clerks were Andrew S. Wood and 
Charles B. Kingsley, who became associated with him in 
the business, and for a great number of years Roland Wel- 
ler was the porter. 

In the store next below Mr. Hillyer's, now Lucius S. Da- 
vis, druggist, John W. Wilson and Haynes K. Stark- 
weather, Jr., opened a drug store and grocery about 184G. 
They were succeeded by Oscar Edwards. There has been a 
drug store on this spot fifty-six years. 

Jacob Anthony, dealer in boots and shoes, and Elijah 
Powers, dry goods, had stores below, but were not in Inisi- 
ness long after 18-1.5. One of the.se stoi-es was occupied by 
Nathan Dikeman and lijs son Henry, hatters. Both were 



3« 

sent to the legislature, the former in liS34, the latter in 1S45. 

Then came Deacon Daniel Kiiigsley, the tailor. The dea- 
con was one of those kind-hearted, smooth-spoken, unob- 
trusive, inoffensive men, few in number, who offend no one 
and live long and happily. Ho was strictly a tailor, and 
never sold ready-made goods. His store was the resort of 
the leading men of the old church, and a half dozen of 
them could often be found there at a time in conference 
over church and town affairs. It was a common remark 
that ■■ for a man to be in good standing in this community 
he must be a Whig, belong to the old church, own some 
meadow land, take the Hampshire Gazette, and have his 
clothes made at Daniel Kingsley's." Deacon Kiugsley's 
chief assistant was Capt. John B. Augur, who did the 
measuring and cutting. Capt. Augur was a very pleasing 
man, of gentlemanly nuinners, and just the sort to har- 
monize with Deacon Kingsley and his customers. The 
deacon was elected representative to the legislature in 1855, 
together with Samuel L. Parsons. His store is now occu- 
pied by John E. Riley. 

The next store below Deacon Kingsley's was John 
Clarke's. He kept all sorts of goods, except dry goods, 
clothing and millinery. He was at this time (1845) about 
closing his career as a merchant to engage in banking. 
Mr. Clarke's store was where the Northampton National 
Bank now stands, and was one of the first brick stores on 
Shop Row. Mr. Clarke is well remembered by the sur- 
vivors of his generation. He was a quiet man, never 
seemingly aggressive, but thoughtful, inilustririus. pains- 
taking and gentlemanly. His dress was uniformly of the 
old style— broadcloth, swallow-tailed coat, with stiff collar, 
liigh in the back of the neck. 

One of John Clarke's clerks was Lutlur 1. Wasiihui-n, 
and when Mr. Clarke retired froiu busine.ss in 1845, Mr. 
Washburn succeeded him and soon moved his ))lace of 
business across the street, to Granite Row. It was there 
that Wm. H. Todd began as clerk, and after the decease of 
Mr. Waslibnrn lie toolc the business himself and conducted 



30 

it many years. Most of the merchants who dealt in groce- 
ries soki snuft", of whicli large quantities were used. Mr. 
Washburn was the agent for Lorilhird's snuff and tobacco, 
and Mr. Todd relates that he personally sold two tons of 
snuff in a year. 

Below John Clarke's was Rufus Sackett, hoot and .shoe 
maker and dealer in those goods, and below him, in a little 
low wooden building was T. G. Rich, bookseller and book- 
binder, who had just bought the business of Elisha Turner. 

Then came Benj. E. Cook's jewelry store, estaldished in 
1785 by Samuel Stiles, who was succeeded in 1792 by 
Nathan Storrs. Gen. Cook was at this time in the prime 
of his years, a strong, resolute, energetic man, a fine mili- 
tary figure, and a power in the general affairs of the com- 
munity. This store, the old Butler bookstore, and the Dr. 
Hunt drug store, are the onlj- stores on Shop Row that 
have never changed their business from their beginning. 
With Gen. Cook at this time was Nathan Storrs, a son of 
Nathan Storrs, Sr., and Wells Storrs, another son of 
Nathan, Sr., was often seen about this store, Gen. Cook 
being trustee of his estate under the will of his father. 

Next to Gen. Cook's was the old bookstore founded by 
Simeon Butler. This was the first bookstore in town, and 
it has never been anything else than a bookstoi'e. The 
business was begun there in 1796 by Simeon Butler, and 
was conducted by the Butler family for fifty years. Sid- 
ney E. Bridgnian. tiu; ])i'esent senior proi)rietor, began as a 
boy in this store in Ajirii. 1844, fifty-eight years ago, and 
i.s still there, ai)i)areMtiy good for many more years of 
active work. J. Hunt Butler, son of Simeon, was the suc- 
cessor of his father in the book business. He was a mau 
of striking personal a]ipearance and of very agreeable 
manners, courteous, polite and gentlemanly. He was one 
of the best of men and very helpful to the young men con- 
nected with his business, as well as to others. He was a 
very capable business man, took an active part in public 
aflfairs, and was a leader in the town and county. He was 
chosen county treasurer in 1840, and held the oilice until he 



40 

left ill 1850 to engage iu business in Philadelphia. This 
store has been enlarged several times bj- extensions iu the 
rear, and Simeon Butler would be astonished were he to 
return to the scene of his early labors, to see the meagei* 
dimensions of his store increased to about four times their 
original size. 

Connected with the Butler bookstore there was always a 
book-bindery. This was in the third story. There Henry 
Childs was the head man for half a century. He went 
into this bindery in 1837. To show the changed condition 
of the town, Mr. Childs said he had often looked out of his 
third story window where ho could .see Main street from 
the Clarke library to tlie railroad crossing, at eleven in tlie 
forenoon, ami there was not a man nor a team in sight. 

The store next below the bookstore, now E. P. Cope- 
land's, was in 1845 occupied by Willard Lyon, boot and 
shoe dealer. He was succeeded by Sprague & Baxter, and 
afterward by Erastus Slate, the latter continuing tlie busi- 
ness many years. 

We now reach a spot of great historic interest and com- 
mercial importance. Hero in 1845 was the firm of Stod- 
dard & Lathrojj (Win. H. Stoddard and Joseph Lathroj)), 
dealers in dry goods. This was the old store of Benjamin 
Tappan and Tappan & Whitney. Mr. Tajipan began busi- 
ness on this spot in 1770. in a small wooden building. In 
1809 he erected a brick store, twentj'-five feet wide by 
twenty feet deep. The salesroom was twenty-two by 
twenty feet. He was first a goldsmith, but changed into 
dry goods, hardware, boots and shoes, groceries, and crock- 
ery. He was in business here sixty-two yeai'S, dying in 
1831. The firm of Tappan & Whitney lasted twenty-.seven 
years. There has always boon a largo and profitable busi- 
ness done at this store. The firm of Stoddard & Lathrop 
was succeeded by Stoddard. Lathro)) & Co. (George Ser- 
geant). At diiYoront times Jlr. Stoddard had as partners, 
Dea. A. J. Lincoln and J. I). Kellogg. He retired from 
business in 1S78, after :i continuous service at tiiis store 
of fifty-two years, and died iu 1884, aged eighty years. 



41 

The store in later years has been run by Eilwartl II. Boll, 
and now by Thomas H. Todd. 

An incident occnrred here which illustrates the sentiment 
of this firm with regard to advertising. The Courier liad 
published an advertisement of George W. Warren & Co. 
of- Boston, retail dry goods dealers, and also a short notice 
calling attention to it. This gave offence to Stoddard & 
Lathrop, and Mr. Lathrop went over to the Courier office 
and gave the editor a severe reprimand. Ho claimed that 
a paper had no right to influence the trade of its town to 
go elsewhere, and refused for a year to advertise in the 
Courier. He had not learned tliat newspapers are for all 
the people, ready for business from all quarters, the same 
as merchants, railroails and all others seeking ])ul)lic pat- 
ronage. 

Next below Stoddard & Lathrop's was the jewelry store 
of John H. Fowle, who succeeded his father, Nathaniel 
Fowle, originally a tailor. The Fowles were in business 
at 'this stand more than si.\ty years. A fixture at this store 
was Seth Wright, chief clerk and watch repairer. He was 
there a great many years, and was as well known to the 
townspeople as any of the merchants. 

Next to Fowle's, where Jolm F. Lambie's dry goods store 
is now, were Solomon and George Ciapp, tailors. They 
were not there long. Solomon died, and in 1850 George 
moved to Minnesota, where lie died. 

We now come to Clarke block, the end of Shop Row as 
it was in 1845 and for a few years later. On this spot, the 
Clarkes, father, sons and grandsons, did business for sixty- 
seven years, first Samuel Clarke in r79,'5, then Samuel 
Clarke & Sons (Christopher and John), then the sons, 
Augustus and Christopher, sons of Christojdier. The 
Clarkes occupied two stores, covering the entire block, and 
did as much bu.siness as any other of the merchants on the 
Row. 

Below Shop Row was the residence of Theodore Strong, 
which will be further noticed when we come to speak of 
the homesteads in the center of the town. 



42 

t »n Pleasant street tliere was only one place of business 
in 1845, the old printing office of William Butler, then 
used as a grocery and fish market below and as the office of 
the Northampton Democrat, afterward by Drs. Peck and 
Uunla]). 

From Pleasant street to the John Clarke house on Bridge 
street, now the Norwood hotel, there was nothing except 
vacant lots. The Ct)nnecticnt River Railroad Company 
erected a brick building on the west corner of Main and 
Hawley streets about 1850, in the second story of which it 
had its office, and in the first story Lewis Mclntyre carried 
on a business in heavy goods, coal, flour, salt, etc. He was 
the first dealer in coal in this town, and at first sold only 
small (juantities. all the stores, shops, offices and houses 
being heated with wood stoves or open fireplaces. 

THE ENGINE COMPANIES. 

In the forties, fifties and sixties the fire engine companies 
were a prominent feature of the town. There were two 
companies, the Deluge, with its head()uarters at the upper 
end of Main street, and the Torrent, with its headquarters 
in the old town hall. The Deluge company was made iip 
of farmers and laborers, strong, muscular men, and the 
Torrent company was recruited mostly from the merchants 
and their clerks. There were frequent contests between 
them to determine which machine would throw the highest 
stream. These were held in front of the old church, the 
steeple being the standard and the engines stationed at the 
reservoir near the center of the street. The judges were 
stationed on the top of one of the stores opposite the 
cliurch. The companies put forth their utmost efforts, the 
foremen mounted on the machines, doing their best to 
urge on their men with shouts and extravagant gesticula- 
tions. Often the streams would i)ass the pinnacle of the 
weatJier vane ten, fifteen and twenty feet,, at which times 
the j)laudits of the large crowds in attendance rang out 
their encouraging notes. The Deluge was usually the win- 
ner in these contests, but the Torrent boys fought nolily. 




OLIJ MANSMN HOUSE— WEST VIEW. 




i.l.li M.\N>li.<N Hill .>l. l.A^r VU.W. 



CHAPTER IV. 

THE CENTER OF THE TOWN, CONTINUED-NORTH SIDE OF MAIN STREET, 
FROM COLLEGE HILL TO RAILROAD CROSSING- COURT STREET,' 
NORTH OF COURT HOUSE AND OLD TOWN HALL. 

'Tis greatly wise to talk with our past hours. 

— Young. 

Let us begin again at the westerly end of ilaiu street 
and come leisurely down on the nortlierly side and take a 
look at the old-timers who were there in the years 1840 to 
1850. 

B'lrst is the Mansion House, the aristocratic hostelry of 
the town, a large, three-story brick building, with base- 
ment, standing on the site of the present Catholic church 
and parsonage. Capt. Jonathan Brewster was the land- 
lord. To know Capt. Brew.ster was to know a typical 
tavern-keeper of the old school. He was a large man, 
stout and tall, and if you heard him give an order you 
would lose no time in arguing the question with him. He 
was a popular man with his patrons, and the Mansion 
House under his management gained an enviable reputa- 
tion and was well patronized. 

Below the Mansion House was the canal storehouse (now 
Warren's livery stable), where the freight was received. 
The three large iron hooks, from which the pulleys hung 
which lowered and hoisted the freight to and from the 
boats, are still to be seen under the eaves on the easterly 
side. The shed now seen on the east side was not there 
when the canal was in operati.ni. After the canal came 
into disuse, this storehouse was converted into stores. The 



45 

feast side was occupied by Wright & Rust and the west side 
by Charles P. Kingsley. 

Crossing the canal and towpath ^ there was no street 
there then — we come to an old brown two-story woode-n 
building near the towpath, where Wright & Rust did busi- 
ness before they moved to the canal storehouse. The 
Edwards church now covers the site of this building. Tlic 
street was considerably higher than the sill of this build- 
ing, and to reach the front door it was necessary to descend 
two or three steps. Wright & Rust were in this building 
about 1840. Their partnership of twenty-six years closed 
in 1848. 

Next below was a vacant lot. and then came Colonade 
Row. so named by Daniel Collins, who converted the old 
Curtis tavern into two stores, D. Collins & Co. doing a 
grocery business in the east store and William F. Arnnjd. 
crockery and hardware, in the west store. 

The present Masonic street was not much of a street in 
1845. It onlj' extended back a few rods to a large barn, 
where Asahel Wood and Cornelius Delano kept a livery 
stable. There were several wooden buildings in back there, 
used for tenements, with a driveway to William Clos.son's 
bakery on the bank of the canal, now State street. 

Masonic block, since remodeled, enlarged and impi-oved 
by Ansel Wright, was in 1845 owned by J. P. Wiliiston. 
In the west corner was the shop of S. D. Thayer, harness- 
maker, and below was the large stove store of Willard A. 
Arnold, the inventor of the " Yankee cook stove." As be- 
fore stated in these sketches. Mr. Wiliiston had his office in 
the front of the second story of this building and the 
Hampshire Herald office was in the rear of the third story. 

Below this block was a wooden building. Nathan Dike- 
man, who had just retired from his long partnership with 
Col. George Shepard, had his hat store next to Arnold's 
stove store, and below him were Michael Williams, grocer, 
and Marcus T. Moody, dealer in fui'iiiture, occupying the 
first and second floors. 

Then came Judge Joseph Lyman's large back yard, barn, 
shed and house, of which more will be said later. 



46 

Tliis brings us down to the Lyman building, a two-story 
brick store, standing east of Judge Lyman's dooryard. 
Amos H. Bullen had a news and periodical shop in this 
building and the Gazette office was on the second Hoor, 
with the power press standing in front. 

Between, the Lyman block and the Warner House, or 
" Warner's Coffee House," as it was often called, there 'was 
a low wooden structure, where Sydenham C. Parsons and 
his brother, Isaac S. Parsons, kept a drug store and gro- 
cery. The second story was used for sleeping rooms for the 
Warner House guests. 

Lsaac Clark previously kept a drug store in this little 
store. He had been in the same business in comi.anv with 
J. P. Willi.ston. • 

The Warner Hou.se was a noted tavern, and liad a large 
patronage. Here the four-horse stages dn-w up regularly, 
day and niglit. on their arrival from and deparrure for 
Boston and Albany. Hartfoi-d and New Haven, and Hi-at- 
tleboroand Dartmoutli. The house was a wooden stiuct- 
uiv, three stories, with an ell on the east side, underneath 
whicli there was a driveway to the barn and sheds in the 
rear. Tliere was a spacious piazza in front, with colonial 
posts, covering the second story. The bar-room and office 
were in front, on the east side, with a door opening into 
the driveway. The pai-lor or receptif)n room was on the 
west side. Botli rooms had large fire-places, around whicli 
comfort and good clioer abounded. The building was old 
and had (uitgrown its nsefnliiess, wher. it was destroyed by 
fire in 1870. Let us .stop here awhile and talk with Mr. 
Warner. He was intelligent and interesting in conversa- 
tion, a medium sized man, active and efficient. During the 
twenty-three years that he kept this tavern he formed a 
wide acquaintance and was very influential in the jjolitical 
field. He was a representative in the legislature five years, 
also a member of the senate, and exerted a great influence 
in the community. He had a large family, all of whom 
were influential, the son bearing liis name hol.ling the office 
of secretaiy of the commDinvcaltli eighteen yotir^. His 



V, 



tavern was the in-iuciiuil resort of people wlio eaiiie lieiv to 
attend court— judges, lawyers, jurors, witnesses, :nid dep- 
uty slieriffs, and travelers from far and near found here 
most acceptable entertainment. His name hecanie almost 
a liousehold word througliout Western Massachusetts, so 
well known was he to all the people. 




OLIVER WAKNKU— TAVKRN KKEl'KR 

In the rear of the Warner tavern were the harn and 
sheds connected with the house, and a livery stable a little 
to the west, kept by Ebenezer Strong and John A. Clark. 
There was a pump there, which was n'sorted to by the 
village business people for their snjiply of water. 

Next to the Warner House was the store of Col. George 
Shepard, the hatter, and ne.\t to him was Jo.seph (i. Eustis, 



48 

harness-maker. Then came Capt. Enos Parsons, who kept 
a barher-sliop. and sold periodicals, and was also express 
agent. The captain was then a young man, full of energy 
and ambition. He engaged in brokerage, in which he was 
quite successful, and then gravitated into the practice of 
law, becoming one of the loading and most influential citi- 
zens of the town. 

Capt. Parsons was one of the most active men the town 
ever had. He was distinguislied for his self-reliance, 
energy, determination, and general business capacitj'. He 
was long in active life. Beginning as a barber in the early 
forties, he advanced solely by his own efforts to be auc- 
tioneer, broker, merchant, lawj'er, railroad agent and set- 
tler of many estates. He took an active interest in the 
town meetings and was very influential in town affairs. 
He did much, as president of the village improvement 
society, to beautify the town by setting out shade trees. 
Few men liave lived here who have been as prominent and 
influential as Cai)t. Enos Parsons. 

Col. George Shepard was for fifty j^ears in business here 
as hatter, beginning with Nathan Dikeman. The firm of 
Dikeman & Shejjard was almost as well known liere as the 
firm of Wriglit & Rust, or Tappau & Whitney. Col. 
Shepard married a daughter of Oliver Warner, the tavern- 
keeper. He was a selectman several years. He was a 
quiet, industrious, inoffensive man, given to moderation. 
It was one of his i)eculiarities that he rarely wore an over- 
coat. No matter how severe the weather was, he walked 
back ami forth to his house on King street with only the 
same clothing that he wore in the house and shop. 

Then came the meat market and grocery of Justin 
Thayer & Co., and to the present day a market has been 
kept on the sanu* spot. 

James Reed, merchant tailor, came next. With him was 
his brother, Warren Reed. He was succeeded by George 
Wells and his son, William, and by Wells & Hibhard, 
who carried on the same business tiiere many years. 

The i)ost oflice was ki-pt in difl'erent places on Granite 



-to 

Row forty years or more. For a long tiint- it was^ in tlie 
present store of Mandell. the hoot and shoe dealer, when 
Lorenzo W. Joy was ])ostmaster. 

Tlie Xortliainpton hank oc-cu])ied the east corner of 
(xi'aiiite I^ciw. with the law office of C. P. Hnntington and 
William Allen in tlie second story, and Jndge Forhes on 
the tliird floor. It was here that the great hank robbery 
occnrred in January, 1876, when nearly a million and a 
half dollars' worth of money, bonds and stocks were 
stolen. Charles F. Smith, lawyer, had an office on this 
R(iw. and in 1840 Capt. John B. Angnr had a tailor shoji 
there. 

There was no Center street, as now, and nn building liack 
of , the old church, except the boys' high scho(jl. on the lot 
now occupied by the Center (xi'ainmar school. Court street 
extended in the rear of the churi'h and connected with 
M;un street. The street V)etween the bank and tlie church 
was mainly used as a driveway to the Warner House barns 
and the livery stable of Ebenezer Strong and John Clark. 

The old church and the court house are left for further 
notice later on. 'Rev. Charles Wiley was tlie pastor of this 
church from 1837 to 18-15, and Rev. E. Y. Swift from 1845 
to 1851. The court house officers were— Ithamar Conkey 
of Amiierst, judge of probate : Samuel F. Lyman, register 
of ])robate ; Samuel Wells, clerk of courts : Samuel L. 
Hinckley, high sheriff ; Dr. Daniel Stebbins, countj"^ treas- 
urer to 184G and J. H. Butler 1846 to 1850 : Giles C. Kel- 
logg of Hadley, register of deeds to 1S46 ■■iiid Harvey Kirk- 
laud 1846 to 1871. 

Between the church and the court house was a three- 
story brick building, owned by Josiah D. Whitney, who 
had kept a stoi-e there many years. It was known as the 
'■ Wliilncy Ijuilding." S. W. Ho])kiiis had a dry goods 
store in the west i>art ami Miss Sarah Clai-k. familiarly 
known as ■" Aunt Sarah." kept a millinery store in the east 
])art. '"Aunt Sarah" was a maiden lady and lived to a 
good old age. She carried on the millinery Inisiness in this 
town a long time and finally removed to Williamsburg, 

4 



50 

wliere in luT lat(M' years she did a sniiill business in tliat 
line. Mr. Hopkins is still living in Syracuse. X. Y., and 
is yet a vigorous and active man. Alter Mr. Hojikius. 
Geoi"ge P. Dickinson kept a dry goods store in tjiis 
building. 

We must not pass unnoticed the old town hall, an infe- 
I'ior looking building, ill adapted to the uses to which it 
was put. It was built on what at that time was a steep 
side hill, on the ])lan of the old-fashioned cider-mills, 
where the apples were unloaded in the loft and the i)ressing 
of the cheeses done below. The hall was entered from the 
west corner, by a balcony extending along the front, with 
the door in the center facing Main street. There was a 
stairway at the west corner, by the side of a stone wall, 
leading to the level of the basement. The hall would not 
seat more than •■>50 to 300 people. The basement was used 
by the fire department. It was in this basement that 
Wright cSt Rust b(^gan in 1822 their long business career, 
dissolving the co])artnerslii]) in 1848, and each ]iartner con- 
tinuing in business a long time afterward. 

Across King street, on the corner, stood a famous old 
building, where the old tirm of B. & C. Osborn (Soi)hia and 
Cecelia), aunts of our venerable citizen, C. H. Dickinson, 
kept a millinery store. They were maiden ladies and con- 
tiniied in business thirty-two years. They were the leading 
milliners of the town and county, and for those days did a 
great business. Their sistei-. Mrs. Ruth B. Dickinson, was 
long associated with them, and when the two Osborns re- 
tired in ISol, she took the business and carried it on in con- 
7iection with her son, C. H. Dickinson. 

It was in this building that Ebenezer Hancock, father of 
our Andrew P. Hancock, the veteran ])rinter and janitor 
of the old church, had his harness shop about forty years, 
and his appearance in the doorway, arrayed in his large 
leather apron, and liis spectacles, was a familiar sight. 

North of this building was a small building occupieil by 
Samuel W. Lee. tinner. He ilid liusiness there about forty 
years. His old white horse was alnlost as well known to 
the village people as Mr. Lee himself. 



Fmtlit'i' iiortli. f:u-iii<r on Kin.i< street, was T. B. Hutcli- 
ins" house ami restaui ant. Tliere was a sign over tlie walk, 
set on posts, uiuler wliicli tliose passed who entered the 
restaurant, wliich was in tiie south front corner. Tliere 
was a well hack of the house, wliich was tlie resort of many 
of till' nuTcliants for water. Mr. Hutchins was accused of 
sellini^ li(|iiors. and ^Ii-. Wiilistun got after him for so 
doing, which caused him trouble and created much ill feel- 
ing. Mrs. Hutchins was a very fine cook, and her pies, 
cakes and ice-cream were famous in all this region. The 
peculiar flavor of the Hutchins ice-cream still lingers in 
the memory of our older people. 

The accomi)anying picture of these buildings was taken 
in 1855, when there had been .some changes in the occu- 
pants of the buildings. The tinners were Lee & Porter, 
and Wallace A. Hubbard, another harness maker, occupied 
the northerly part of the snnill building, and Patterson & 
Eustis were in the rooms formerly occupied by S. & C. 
Osborn, but the buildings were just as they had been for 
forty years. The Hutchins house stood where Dr. Rob- 
erts' house now stands, and the other two buildings were 
moved in 1S61 to the rear and converted into tenements by 
Charles S. Crouch, carpenter, and are still there. 

In front of the Hutchins house, in the fork of the roads, 
there were two very lai-ge elm trees, standing near each 
other, so that their limbs interlocked, and between these 
trees were a set' of hayscales, where most of the public 
weighing was done. These scales were owned by Ansel 
Wright and Christopher W^right, and were in use a long 
time, but they finally gave way to the march of public im- 
provement, which cleaned out that whole region — haj^- 
scales, ti'ees, town hall, stone wall, old ])umi> and water 
trough. 

Tlie (dd pump referred to was located near the easterly 
corner of the town hall. Water there was at one time 
supplied from a reservoir on the present site of A. 
McCallum's house on Prospect street. 

This reservoir was built liy a company of citizens, to 



0-2 

supply the Mansion IIdusc. Wariirr Housf'. ami a ivw ntln-i- 
places. It worked well for awhile, but finally j^ot out of 
repair and was given up. Tt was in msm scjinc tini.r after 
1S45. 

The water su]»]ily of the town was of the ]ioorest. None 
of the stores on Shop Row had any suj)ply at all. When 
water was needed they went to some neighboring well for 
it. There was a well in the cellar of the Whitney build- 
ing, and Mr. Whitney, whose business consisted in ])art in 
dealing in liciuors, remarked, when looking at his old well 
after he had retired from business, that " he had sold a 
good many gallons of that watei- at SI. 50 a gallon." 

COURT STREET, NORTH OP COURT HOUSE. 

In the rear of the court house and the Whitney building 
were a few business places. The old church used the base- 
ment of the present Gazett(> office for a vestry before it 
erected a wooden chapel, and the center district schools 
occupied the floor al)ove. The basement of the old church 
was used for storage purposes of various sorts, with large 
doors on the east and west sides, near the north end. 

On the east corner of Gothic and Court streets. Deacon 
Chauncey Colton had a furniture store, and for a few years 
he was the agent of a union grocery store, which was not 
successful. The deacon was a good man, but not a money- 
maker. He erected the block which he occupied. 

Next to Deacon Colton's were the furniture rooms of 
Silas M. Smith, who lived long and prospered. 

In the rear, where B. J. Higgins' blacksmith shop now 
is, Solomon Weller cai-ried on the same business, and before 
him Bohan Clap)) had his blacksmith sho]) there, ami tlii^re 
has been a blacksmith shop on that s])ot more than mie 
hundi'ed years. 

Ne.xt below, where Jonc's's block now stands, was a two- 
story brick building. Elijah Abbott had a ]>aint shop on the 
first floor, and in the second story was John iletcalf, the 
only e.Kclusive job printei' in town. His .son, Lyman Met- 



5:5 

calf, became associated with liiiu in tin- luisiiitss. :iml with 
them another son, William, worked many years. The Met- 
calfs did a good business for those days. Until about 1850 
they had only the old-fashioned hand presses. Then they 
put in a small jiress. run Viy foot power, and that was the 
first job press run by other than hand power iised in this 
town. Sylvester Judd's History of Hadley was printed in 
this ofiice. all tlie press work being (h)n(^ on a hand yjress by 
Lyman Metcalf. Mr. Judd had obtained subscriptions for 
the bo(»k before he began printing, amounting to about 
three hundred. He Wduhl not ])rint nioie than the lumilx'r 
orderetl, so distrustful was he of the demand, but tlie Met- 
calfs had more faith in it. and. witli ilr. Judd's consent, 
))rintfd one hundred and tifty extra sheets, which they k(;])t 
unbound until the demand caused them to be put into the 
binder's hands. The binding was done at the Butler bind- 
ery, under the sui)ervision of Henry Chihls. The work oi 
printing occupied a long time, and while it was in progress 
Mr. Judd visited the printing office almost daily, to super- 
vise the proof-reading. He was a most painstaking man, 
and looked carefully after every detail of his work. 

Next to the job printing office was a wooden building, 
where James R. Day, a man considerably over six feet in 
height, carried on a stove and tin shoj). He was a ram- 
l)ant Whig, and he and Augustus Clarke and Miles Moise 
did most of the field work for the Whig party. After Day 
came Nathan Hines Felton in the stove store. 

( )ne <lay Mr. Felton was a<ldressing a letter to a man in 
(ioshen. Henry Childs happened to be present and was 
looking over Felton's shoulder as he was addressing the 
letter. C'liilds was fond of a joke and he played one on 
Felton. When Felton had written "Go," Childs said, 
"t-i-o-n,"' and Felton wrote it out in good faith, making it 
read "' fTDtion," but after looking at it for awhile, and 
comparing it with the smile on Childs"s face, he concluded 
that if his letter ever got to Goshen it would have to be 
addrt!ssed according to the legal way of spelling the name 
of the town. 



Tlien came C M. Kinney, the iiiarblp worker, on tlie 
corner of Conrt and King streets, and tlie same business 
is still carried on tlun-e by his son, C. W. Kinney, and 
William Gudfrey. under tlic name of the Hamjjshire ^lar- 
ble Company. 

( )n King street, ojjposite Squii'c Wells's (the next lionse 
mirth of J. P. Williston's), was the paint-sho]) of David K. 
Whitccnnb, where pure Democralii- ]),iint was mixed and 
unadulterated Democracy expounded. Mi-. Wlntcmnb had 
his paint-shop there aliout thirty years. 

.V familiar ligure ai-onnd the stove stores and tin sliops 
of this period was an old colored man. who went by tiie 
name (jf ".Iiiba," from his frecpient use of that word by 
way of ejaculation. " By Jul)a I "' was liis iiabitual metlu)d 
of emphasizing— his e.Kchunation point. 

THli T.WKKNS AND STORKS F.WORITE I'LACES OF KESORT. 

It was a prevaliMit custom in these olden times for men 
to gather in the stores, as well as in the taverns, in even- 
ings and during the d;\ys, for general visiting and discus- 
sion of public affairs. Wright & Rust's store was a favorite 
place for the farmers and laboring peojile to assemble, and 
after the dissolution of the lirm in 1848 and the establish- 
ment of a store by each of the partners, the same custom 
jjrevailed in both stores. Around the stove at Theodore 
Rust's stoi'e were found every day a party of farmers and 
laborers from South street and "Pancake Plain." and the 
same was the case at Ansel Wriglifs store. The store of 
De;icon Daniel Kingsley was a favorite place for another 
grade I if men to assemble. There, on many a forenoon, 
were gathered a goodly coni])any of old church men, pat- 
rons of Deacon Kingsley and fellow-worshipers in the 
church. Tiiere often were found Deacon Eliphalet Will- 
iams. Lewis Strong, and others prominent in the cliurch. 
Cliuri h matters were discussed there, and the guiding 
minds were those of Lewis Strong and Deacon Williams, 
from whose decisions tliere was no appeal. 




V - 



m^-'"^' 



u,^.. 



EDWIN KINdSI.EV's HorSE AND BLACKSMITH SHOP. HoLI.EY HOUSE 
ANI> HAT FACTORY. 

The house of Edwin Kingsley and his l)lacksmitli shop, 
(the house on the right, the blacksmith shop next.) 
shown in this picture, stood ou the site of the jjrcsent 
Academy of Music. The house was built by Nathiiniel 
Day in 17n->, and about 1830 was removed to the rear and 
gave place to a two-story brick house, in which Mi'. Kings- 
ley lived and died. This house and the blacksmith shop 
were torn down when the Academy of Music was erected 
by E. H. R. Lyman in 1S91. The Holley house, next below 
the blacksmith shop, stands there now, just as it stood sixty 
years ago. The hat factory, next below the Holley house, 
was destroyed by fire about 18.50. That building stood in 
front of the present Priudle residence. This picture is from 
a painting on wood, made about fifty years ago. It is not as 
accurate as a photograph, but it serves to give a fairly cor- 
rect idea of that i)art of Main street as it was a half- 
century ago. 



CHAl'TEH \^ 

DiSKUl'TIO.N OF POLITICAL PARTIES — THE FREE SOIL CAMPAIGN — RE- 
MARKABLE TRIUMPH OF ERASTUS HOPKINS— INDEPENDENT POLITI- 
CAL MOVEMENTS — ELECTION OF SAMUEL WELLS, ELISHA H. BREWS- 
TER AND HARVEY KIRKLAND FOR COUNTY OFFICERS AS INDEPEN- 
DENT CANDIDATES — ELECTION OF IX'KE LYMAN FOR REGISTER OF 
PROBATE — THE WAR ON MAJOR KIKKLAND — DAVID B. WHITCOMB, 
LEADING DEMOCRAT— HAMI'SIIIUE COINTV THH HIKTIIPLACE OF PO- 
LITICAL INDEPENDENCE. 

Thy spirit, luiiepomlence, let mc sbare: 

Lortl of tile litm heart auil eiigle eye. 
Thy steps I follow with my bosom bare. 

Xi.ir heed the storm that howls aloug the sky. 

— Tobias Smullrtt, 1771. 

Tlit^ orguui/.alioii of tlu- Free Soil parly uiul its imin-oved 
prospects in 18-18. bring us to the begimiing of the most 
remarkable jxjlitical period in the liistory of the town. 
( »tlior ])olitical campaigns liad bc(>n stoutly contested, but 
had invariably resulted in the tiiuni].h of the Whigs, uutil 
that party came to believe itself iuvincible. Here, liow- 
ever, was a fight, in whicli it more than met its match. It 
proved to be its Waterloo. 

The Free Soil party was in 1848 very strong in Nortli- 
amptoii. It had the powerful support of Erastus Hojikins, 
one of the foremost citizens of the town, and until then 
one of the Whig leaders. He had been a leading '•Con- 
science Whig," and lie came to the Free Soil party fully 
equipped with sound anti-slavery doctrine and gifted witii 
a iiueucy of speech, a logical jiower aud a brilliancy of elo- 
quence rarely equalled. He had a large personal following. 



Ho \v;is a geiitlcinan of pli'iisiiii;- inaiiiiiT.-^. i)f' di'^iiitit'd and 
stately presetice. possessed a kindly disposition, and won 
friends easily. He rallied and united the anti-slavery forces 
in splendid shape. The nomination of Van Buren was a 
hitter jjill to the old Wiiif^s, who had fought him in two 
previous Presidential campaijjns. and those of them who 
accepted him as the anti-slavery leader did so with great 
reluctance. They overlooked the man and his antecedents, 
and voted for the anti-slavery ]iiiiii'ipics which his can- 
didacy represented. 

Mr. Hopkins addressed his felhjw-citizens many times 
during the campaign, hohling large meetings in the town 
hall, and such was his influence and so strong was the anti- 
slavery feeling that when tlie votes for President were 
counted they stood— for Martin Van Buren, Free S(nl, :]S0 ; 
for Cien. Zachary Taylor, Whig, :5(i7 : for Gen. Lewis Cass, 
Democrat, 90. The vote was the largest that had ever been 
cast in the town. 

The effect of this vote was most depres.s.ing to the Whigs. 
The Gazette declared that theii- defeat was unexpected. It 
had looked for aT)out an even race between the Whigs and 
Free Soilers, and to l)e beaten by a majority of eighty-two 
was mortifying to the last degree. That the great Whig 
party (jf Northampton, embracing the wealth, the culture, 
the flower of the town, should be defeated, cast down, 
overthi'own, by the new Free Soil l)arty under the lead (yf 
Erastus Hoi)kins, was a terrible blow to its pride. 

But the eml was not yet. The Presidential election and 
the state election were not held on the same day. The 
voting for President came a week before the voting for 
state officers. There was yet a chance for the Whigs 
to recover their lost gi'ound. They tried to improve it. 
Their candidate for Governor was George N. Briggs of 
Pittsfield, whose popularity with the people of Western 
Massachusetts had been repeatedly tested. He was the 
most available candidate they could name. Hi^ was a dea- 
con of the Baptist chilli h. iiad liccn twice elected to Con- 
gress, and had bci'ii I'mii- times elected Governor. The 



oS 

main objoct (jf tlio Wiiigs was to "" down " Mi'. Hojikins. 
He had been sent by them as one of the town's representa- 
tives to the legislature four years, he had left their party, 
and their hatred of him was intense. He was again put 
in nomination by the Free Soilers. Many of tlic old-line 
Democrats had joined tlie Free Soil ranks, but a few still 
remained faithful to their old flag. 

With ^Ir. Hopkins the Free Soilers nominated Major 
William Parsi^ns of South street, a mild, even-tempered, 
inoffensive man. who had lieen a Democrat. Tliis mtide a 
strong ticket, as it combined both tlie foi'iner Whig and 
Democratic elements. Many of the Dennjcrats who still 
adhered to their state ticket, supported Hopkins and Par- 
sons. They had been held down with their noses on the 
revolving grindstone by the Whigs so many years that 
they were ready to vote ff)r almost anything that would 
defeat their old enemy. Tlie Whigs nominated as their 
representative ticket Osmyu Baker and Charles Smith. 

The day of election came. Every voter in town who 
could be got out was brought to the polls. The total vote 
was 833, exceeding the vote cast for President the week 
before, 47. Hopkins and Parsons were elected, receiving 
G-2 more votes than the Whig ticket, and a clear majority 
of 23. This was a splendid i)er.sona! triumph for Mr. Hop- 
kins, and was so regai-ded by both his friends and enemies. 
The next year the fight was rent-wed. with e(inal bitterness 
and intensity, but the result was the .same. Kditor Hawley 
felt keenly tlie defeat of his party and sjioke of the new 
anti-slavery movement as tlie " Free Soil delusion." 

The night before the election llic Wliigs held a i;illy in 
the. town iiall. with addresses by several of tiieir local 
leaders, one of wlioni denounced Mr. Hopkins as a "politi- 
cal peacock." This so offended some of the Whigs that a 
number of them maile it an excuse for voting for him. 

In 1S5U Mr. Hopkins was not a candidate, and the Free 
Soil ticket for representatives was David Joy and George 
F. Wright. At the tirst trial they failed of an election, 
anil at another trial on tin; ■■fourth Monday '" lliey lacked 



.19 

only twu votfs of succl-ss, a majority vote boiiig iifccssary. 
Tlie town wa*; uurepreseuted tliat year. 

In 1851 the Free Soilers again placoil ^Ir. Hojikins in 
uominatitm. and associated with him on the ticket Captain 
Azariah Clapp. The Captain bad been a Democrat and was 
consi<lered an available man to rnn with Mr. Hoi)kins. 
Tlie result proved .so. They were both elected. 

A week before the election of 1851 the Courier announced 
that ""We sliall illuminate the Courier office on ^lonilay 
evi-ning ne.\t, in hoimr of the election of two coalition rep- 
resentatives in Northampton on that day."' The election 
came, the two coalition representatives were chosen, and 
the Courier office was illuminated according to this an- 
nouncement. The election of Mr. Hopkins and " Cap'n 
■Riah " was celebrated on election night by a grand proces- 
sion, headed by the brass band, which marched to the resi- 
dences of both the successful candidates, and then drew up 
in front of the Courier office and gave three cheers for the 
Courier and its illumination. 

That Mr. Hopkins' course in this campaign was dictated 
solely Vjy principle is appai-ent from the conditions of par- 
ties then existing. He was in the prime of his manhood, 
with a promising future before him. He stood well with 
the Whig paity, which was the controlling power in the 
town, county and state. He could have had anything in 
the line of political i)romotion that he desired. All this 
lie sacrificed. He was an original ■"Conscience Whig." 
There were Whigs whose consciences were (|uickened by 
the anti-slaver\' wave wliich was rising throughout the 
North. These were called "Conscience Whigs." Mr. 
I lopkins was active in this movement, and when the break 
came in 184S he was a recognized leader in the enlarged 
anti-slavery movement. He could not hope for politii-al 
l>romotion by such action. The anti-slavery men were not 
office-seekers. They were weak in numbers anil labored 
only for the advancement of a great principle, ilr. Hop- 
kins was governed entirely by his devotion to this princi- 
ple. He cast in his lot with the lowly and despised. And 



CO 



tlitTfiii he acti;(l wisely. His towiisim-ii stood 1)y liiiii 
with a loyalty that was most inspiring. 

Better the fame whicli he won in this ailhesion to a <lo- 
S])ise(l and fecIjU? jnirty, for the sake of ii i)rineij)le wliich 
has become the keynote of all liberty-loving ])eoi)le. than 
the oHices and honors he could have had by following the 
larger and stronger element of the Whig ]mrty. 




ERASTUS HOPKINS. 

The Fi-ee Soilers were a noble class of men, strong in 
intellect and of high moral charact(U'. Thoy did not em- 
brace much of the wealthy class, but were made up largely 
of mm in middle life and advanced years and moderate 
circumstances. Among them were (I rely only u]>on mem- 
ory), Erastus Hopkius, Cyi'us Nol)le, Henry Shepherd, 



Ill 

Lyman aiul Josiali Parsons, Prusidont William Alien and 
ills s((n tlie late Jn<l,ij;e, Deacon John P. Williston, William 
F. Arnold. H. Iv. Starkweather and his sous Charles, 
Haynes and Alt red, William D. Clapp, Oliver Warner and 
his sons Oliver. Edward, Seth and John. Willard A. 
Arnold. Deacon Euos Clark. Moses Breck. Deacon Jared 
Clark, Deacon Aai-on Breck, Aaron Breck, Jr., Dr. G. D. 
Peck, Austin Ross. Samuel A. Bottum, Benjamin Johnson 
and his sons Benjamin S. and Charles B. . Solomon War- 
ner, A. P. Critchlow, Samuel L. Hill, David Joy, Charles 
P. Huntington, Webster Herrick, D. Munroe Clapp, J. D. 
Kellogg. Samuel Day, John W. Wilson. Porter Nutting, 
Hiram Day, Abel Parent, C. M. Kinney. Edwin Kingsley, 
Samuel F. Lyman, Curtis W. Braman. John Bridgman, 
Sylvester Bridgman. Sidney E. Briilgman. Deacon Chaun- 
cey Colton, William Tillotson, Dr. Horace Clark, Major 
William Parsons, Jonathan P. Strong, Charles H. Dickin- 
son, Dr. E. T. W^ood. Samuel N. Wood, Marcus Moody. Ira 
Chilson. Charles A. Dayton. Rev. D. M. Crane, Rev. 
William Tyler. J. D. Kellogg. Jr.. Silas D. Clark, William 
Clossoii. Willard Lyon. S. D. Thayer, Zenas Field, Zenas 
Field. Jr.. John Metcalf. William Metcalf, Alonzo Eustis, 
Klilui Strong, Herman Smith. Israel Dickinson, Lyman 
.Metcalf, Seth Strong, Seth Hunt, Walter Pease, Fred A. 
Stock-well, Calvin Stockwell, A. Perry Peck, Charles S. 
Crouch, Elijah Kingsley, Linus Noble. Sumner Clark. 
Joshua Sibley, Samuel Simmons, An.sel Wright. Cieorge F. 
Wriglit, Theodore Rust, Calvin Clark, Capt. Samuel Par- 
sons, Samuel L. Parsons. Isaac S. Parsons, Col. Joseph B. 
Parsons, Asa Wright, Col. Edward Par.sons. Spencer Par- 
sons, Horace L. Kingsley, Elihu Clark. Capt. Jo.seph 
Allen. Capt. Joseph Conant, Amzi Allen, Alfred T. Lilly, 
Joel Abercrombie, Col. Thomas Pomeroy. Ansel Jewctt. 
Daniel R. Clark, Dexter Clark, Calvin Clark, Enos Clark. 
Jr., Sylvester Judd. Col. Daniel WiUcutt, George Willcutt, 
Col. George Shcpard, Dea. William H. Stoddard, Jai-ob 
Parsons, Richard B. Davis, George Davis, Capt. Azariah 
Clapp. Elijah D. Cla]!]). Merrick Claiij). George Ellswoitli, 



09 

Abel .M.iin. Moses Warner. Jolm F. W'.inicr. J()s<'])li W;ir- 
ner. Edwin W. Wurner, Dr. I);iviil Riii^t^lcs. Basil Dorsey. 
John R. Selnian, Josiali DicU-in.son, Luther Clark. A. W. 
Thayer. Dr. E. E. Denniston. George Bennett. Oliver A. 
Hul)liar(l. T. B. Hutchins. ^Sannicl Phelps. Moses Phelps. 
Solomon Phelps. Spencer Pheljis. Dr. Cluirhs Walker. S. 
C. Parsons, Dr. Jared Bartlett. .J. 1). Wells. Charles Strong. 
Ansel Ahells. William R. ('1,-ipp. \,[tli;ni H. Fi'ltdi. Hoi^hnl 
Clapp. Edwin i)aiiis1er. 

or the Whigs I recall these :- W illiam A, H.nwley, 
Winthroj) Hillyer. (ieorge Sergeant. Enos Parson.s. Elijali 
Ahbott, Samuel W. Lee. Elienezer Hancock. Henry Briglit, 
Nathan Dikeman. Henry Dikeman. Daniel Kiugsley, Henry 
Strong, ilori'is Strong, William Strong, C'liarles B. Kings- 
ley, (ieorge Wells. James Reed. Cornelius Delano. Asahel 
Wood. J. Harvey Searle. L\nian Kingsley. James R. 
Trumladl. Theodore Bartlett. Judge C. A. Dewey. Luther 
L Washl)ui-n, William (). Gorham. Capt. Jonathan Brews- 
ter. Lewis Parsons. J. Smith Parsons. Josiah W. Smith. 
Ozro C. Wright, Edwin C. Clark. Daniel W. Clark. John 
A. Clark, Ebenezer Strong, Elisha Strong, Asa Strong. 
George Strong. Charles Edwards. Alexander Edwarils, 
Ceylon Mood}-, William F. Quigley. Thomas Musgrave. 
Benjamin North, Samurl Whitmarsh. Thomas Whitmarsh. 
Thomas Pratt, William F. Pratt. Charles S. Pratt. J.dni B. 
Graves. Robert B. Graves, Elisha (iraves. S. W. Hojjkins, 
Henry B. Graves, John W. Hnbbard, William Clark, 
William Clark. Jr.. Lucius Clark. Chai-les Clark. Sidney 
L. Clark, Francis Clark, .Merritt Clark. Henry Childs. J. 
H. Butler, Major Harvey Kirkl.nid. Samuel Wells, Deacon 
James Hibben. J. D. Whitney. Dr. Daniel Thom|)son. 
Dr. James Thompson. Charles E. Forbes. Charles F. Smitli, 
Charles Smith, M. M. French, Benjamin E. Cook. Joseph 
Lathro]), William F. Kingsley. Christoj)her Wright. Chiis- 
topher Clarke. Augustus Clarke. Jghn Clarke. Edward 
Clarke, James R. Day, Miles Moise, Col. Justin Tliayer, 
Horace Cook. Justin Smith. Samuel L. Hinckley. Dr. Ben- 
jamin Barrett, Deacon Eliphalet William.s, David Damon, 



fi:! 

Cajit. Isaac Danmii. Dr. Sylvester Graliaiii, Lewis Sti-oii<;. 
Col. Calvin Strong, Jonathan Strong, Horace Lymnn. Silas 
M. Smith. Asahel Ahells. William H. Todd. Edward 
Kingsley, Aliira Lyman, John H. Fowle, Setli Wright. 
Nathan Storrs, Wells Storrs, Samuel Williams. Phenix 
Williams. Erastns Slate. Lnman Bartlett, Dr. S. B. Wood- 
ward, Cephas Sti'ong. William E. Partridge, George P. 
Dickinson, Elijah Allen. Solomon Weller. Roland Weller, 
Julins Phelps. Aniasa D. Wade, Dr. J. W. Smith, George 
W. Edwards, Mile. J. Smith. Charles H. Smith, Horace A. 
Collins, William W. Partridge. Capt. Fred Clark. George 
Laidley, David Laidley. Alpheus Lyman. W^illiam Graves, 
Martin B. Graves, Luther Hamilton. Luther H. Edwards, 
Horace L Hodges, Luke Lyman. James L West. James W. 
Clark, Milo L. Smith, Louis Tribus. William C. Prentiss. 
Benj. North, Capt. Sereno Kingsley, James M. Bucknam. 

The Democrats were few in numliei' and had 1)ut a few 
leaders of })r()minence, including Thomas Shepherd, Hiram 
Ferry. David B. Whitcomb, H. H. Chilson, Amos H. Bul- 
len, Capt. Hervey Smith and Samuel P. Janes. 

I look in vain thnnigh these lists of names for more than 
a handful of tho.se who are still li\ing. Only eleven in 
the list of Free Soilers are alive, and only twelve of the 
Whigs. The living Free Soilers are Charles and Alfred 
Starkweather, Hiram Day, C. M. Kinney. Sidney E. Bridg- 
man, C. H. Dickinson, J. D. Kellogg, Joshua Sibley, Ben- 
jamin Pratt, and Isaac S. and Col. J. B. Parsons. The 
surviving Whigs are, J. Harvey Searle, Charles S. Pratt, 
Merritt Clark, William H. Todd, Cliristoplier Clarke, Rob- 
ert B. Graves. William F King.sloy. Edward King.sley, 
Stephen W. Hopkins. David L;iiilley. Lutliei' H. Edwards, 
and William E. Partridge. 

ELECTION OF WELLS AND BREWSTER AS INDEPENDENTS 

IN 185G. 

Auotlier notable political contest in which the Courier 
took a leading jiart. occui-red iu ls.5(;. This was the first 
yeai- iif the Republiean jiarty. The Knuw Nothing party 



CI 

liad hiMMi ill jiower tl)vee years. W'lic-ii tlic l^cpublican 
county coiiventioii uiet to iioiuiiuite county oflicers, there 
had been no prc-arraugeuient for it. It was not the custom 
in those days to fix up the local iKuiiiiiations in advance, as 
is done now. Samuel Wells was clerk of the courts and 
Elisha H. Brow.stcr was the oiitgointj county commissioner. 
To the surjirise ol' everyone, tliese men were not renomi- 
nated. Tiieir defeat was attributed to a conspiracy, in 
which the fag-ends of the defunct Know Nothing jiarty 
played an important ])art. .laiins \V. Boyden of Amherst 
was the nominee for clerk of courts, and Ciiarles S. Ferry 
of Granby was nominated for county commissioner. 

Squire Wells felt badly over his defeat. He had done 
nothing to influence the convention, neither had Mr. 
Brewster. There was a great deal of dissatisfaction, more 
especially on account of Mr. Wells, as he was well along 
in years and without other means of support. Tiie next 
issue of the Courier came out with a blazing article, de- 
nouncing the action of the convention and calling u])on 
the people to revolt. There was an immediate response 
from all over the county. The revolt s})read like wildfire. 
Cornelius Delano took an active jjart in canvassing the 
county for the independent ticket. He was an old politi- 
cian and an experienced political worker, lb- went to 
every town and was accomjianied by Jonathan L. Wells, 
his .son-ill-law. The result was that the independent ticket 
was elected. .Mr. Wells's majority was 027. and Mr. 
Brewster's S?:. 

This was about tin' first revolt from the regular ]iarty 
action that occiiiiimI in tlie county. A regular nomination 
had been considered e(iuivalont to an election, and a bolter 
was held to be a traitor and'lost standing with his ])arty. 
]\Ir. Brewster did nut enter into this I'evolt with nuudi 
heartiness. He felt the force of the ])Osition taken by the 
regulars, and being then a young man with some ambition 
lie hesitated about running as an independent. He was so 
far influenced by that reasoning that he published a brief 
letter in both the Gazette and the Courier of the week pre- 



("Ptling tlie election. .statiiij< that lie was "" not a candidate." 
i-?ut it was too late. The tickets had been printed and 
distrihnted. all l)earin<^ his name, and he was elected in 
spite of his declination. 

It was a fortunate result for the county, as Mr. Brewster 
pi'oved to be one of the best ronunissioners the county ever 
had. After that he had no ojjposition in hi.s party during 
the eighteen years of his service in that office. 

The Gazette took no j)art in this independent movement, 
it gave the independent ticket no open support, and nomi- 
nally sujjported the regular nominees, though doubtless 
wishing the bolters success. The paper was then, as it 
always had been under Kditor Hawley, a strict party organ. 
It playcci hut one tune, and that was to supi)ort the party 
nominations, whatever they might be. The Courier was 
tlu' independent pai)ei- of the jjeriod, and it led the pro- 
ci'ssion in all the indcpi^ndcnt ]iolitical movements c:)f the 
times. 

SI'IHITKD CONTEST FOR REGISTER OF PROBATE IN 1858. 

In Is.iS there was a spirited contest for I'egister of j)ro- 
bate. There had been a court of insolvency separate from 
the court of probate, of which Luke Lyman was register. 
A. P. Peck was the register of the probate court. The 
legi.slature consolidated the two courts, and both of these 
registers contested for the election. The contest was lively. 
In tlie Republican county convention Lyman won the nom- 
ination, receiving thirty-five votes, and Peck thirty. The 
contest was then carried to the people, with the result that 
i.,ymau was successful by a majority of 109, after both 
parties had scoured the county. This was the beginning 
of Genei'al Lyman's long career as a county official. He 
proved to be an excellent ])ublic officer and wielded great 
political influence in town and county. 

Gen. Lyman owed his election to the sui)i)ort whicdi the 
fjrazette gave him. The Gazette and the Courier were 
uniteil at that time and one of the editors was then nomi^ 

6 



(it; 

nated and elected county treasurer. A combination was 
formed, by wliich Mr. Lyman ])i'otited. The jjapers were 
not united until Nov. 1. but tlie union was planned early 
in October, just in time to influence the county convention 
and to control the election. 

THE \V,\H ().\ MA.IOi; H.\i;\ l•:^ KIKKI..\NI). 

Perhaps the most bitter jiolitical contest ever known in 
Hampshire county was that winch centered upon Major 
Harvey Kirkland. It was a long-fought struggle, and cov- 
ered man}- years. Major Kirkland came hei-e from Nor- 
wich (now Huntington) and first engaged as clerk in the 
register of deeds" office under (xiles C. Kellogg. He was a 
very competent man from the first, and a most excellent 
penman. He was renuirkably accurate and jiainstaking in 
everytliing that he did. which was appreciated by the peo- 
ple of tlie county. In 184(i he was elected register of deeds, 
snc-ceeding Mr. Kellogg, wlio liad held the ofhce thirteen 
years. For some reason ti'ouble arose between him and 
William Clark, a citizen t>{ higli standing in the commu- 
nity and a man of strong will and great determination. 
Mr. Clark declared war on the Major, and every three 
yeai's, when he came uj) for re-election, there was a battle 
royal. Major Kirkland also held the office of secretary and 
treasurer of the Hampshire Mutual fire insurance com- 
pany, and the war followed him there. The county was 
scoured for delegates to the county convention every third 
year, and for pro.xies in the insurance company every year. 
In ISlJl the contest was so fierce that the court room had 
to be opened to accommodate the crowd of yiolicy-holders 
that attended the insurance meeting. Major Kirkland's 
case was managed at the meeting by Charles Delano, and 
Mr. Clark brought up William G. Bates from Westlield to 
lead the opposition. The Major came off victorious and 
with flying colors, as lie had in all jn-evious contests in the 
insurance com])any and in the county conventions. He 
was a good political manager and made am])le ])reparation 



r.f 

for any I'lnergency. With nil liis excellent qualities as an 
official he bad oue weakness. He could not bear opposition 
and was overbearing in manner, so much so tliat be made 
enemies in every contest. His enemies were strong and 
bitter and their number kept growing from year to year. 
But the Major was al)le to "down them" at every contest, 
until at the end he met his Waterloo. 

In isfil the Republican countj^ convention failed to nom- 
inate ifajor Kirkland for re-election. Mr. Clark and his 
boys. William and Lucius, had worked up their ease so 
well that the Major was thrown overboard. H. K. Stark- 
weather was nominated in his stead, by a vote in the con- 
vention of 32 to 20. But the Major was not disheartened. 
He appealed to the people of the county, and they gave 
him a majority of \'i-i\ votes at the polls, the vote standing. 
Kirkland -iHUS, Starkweather 1157. 

This overwhelming victory emboldened Majni- Kii'kland 
and he bore down ujjon his enemies more nnighly than 
ever. This, of course, only increased their strength. It 
made new enemies and embittered old ones, and the day of 
final reckoning came. In the county convention of 1870, 
the Major was defeated, and Henry P. Billings was nomi- 
nated. The vote in convention was : Billings 35. Kirkland 
•.iS. The Major again ajjpealed to the i)eople as an independ- 
ent candidate, but the tide was against him from the 
start. The vote in the county stood : Billings 2947. Kirk- 
land 1747. Mr. Billings was a young man of unexcej)tional 
character and manners, and a soldier in the Civil war, and 
he proved too sti-ong a candidate foi' the Major to over- 
come. 

Major Kirkland accei)ted his defeat with as much grace 
as jiossible. but he never forgave his enemies nor failed to 
remember his friends. He could not understand why he 
should lie defeated, but tiie i)ublic easily detected the rea- 
son. If he had pursued a more conciliatory policy he could 
have defied his enemies and held his office as long as he 
pleased, for no one ever found any fault with his discharge 
of its <lutifs. His i-ec(irds arc nmdi'ls of ni-atness, accuracy 



OS 

and legibility, ami will staml an imperishable testimony to 
his faitlifulness and al)ility. 'I'Iutc never was a dishonest 
or mean act ever traced to liinj. lie managed large affairs 
and proved true to every trust reposed in him. He had 
strong and influential sui)i)ort.(>rs. Among tliem wei'e. J. 
H. Butler, General ("mik, Osniyn Bai<er. Cliarles Delano, 
Judge Forbes and .1. I'. Williston of Northampton, Ed- 
ward Dickinson and Itliamar F. Conkey of Andicrst. Otis 
Lane and William Hyde of Ware, Elisha H. Bi-cwster of 
Worthingtou, Col. Elisha Kdwards and Luther Edwar<ls 
of Southam])t(in, Samuel Williston of Eastliampton. and 
George \V. Hubbard of Hatfield. 

H. G. KN'IGHT OF EASTH AMI'TON CHOSEN' fOl N< I IJ.OK AS 
AN IN1)E]'EN1)KNT CANDIDATE. 

An independent movcnu'nt that created widespi'ead inter- 
est occurred in 1867, and resulted in the election of Hon. 
Horatio G. Knight of Easthamjiton to the Governor's 
Council. The Republican nomination that year belonged 
by the usual custom of rotation to Hampsiiire, and the 
choice of the county fell iipon Mr. Knight. The conven- 
tion was held at Cii ester, out-doors, in front of the town 
hall. Sylvander Johnson of North Adams contested for 
tlie prize and he was successful by a bare majority. The 
nomination so clearly belonged to Hampshire that the 
Hampshii'e delegates were not only disa]>pointed. but 
greatly angered. It was decided tliat Mr. Knight should 
run as an independent candidate. Tlie contest was a lively 
one and the district was well worked by 'Mr. Kni^lifs 
friends, especially the counties of Ham])shire and Ham|)- 
den. The vote was close. ( )n the imirning after election 
the Springfield Republican, witli incomplete retui'us, an- 
nounced that Mr. Johnson was probablj' elected. Init the 
later returns, being from towns in Western I l.impshire, 
where Mr. Knight was very sti-ong, gave him the election 
by a majority of as;j. Mr. Knight received every vote but 
one of the 317 votes cast in Eastliampton. all but four of 
the 1042 votes in Northampton, ami every vote in Cum- 



(!0 

minytnn. Cin'stiTlirlil. CJnshni. Plaiiilii-ld. Middlrlii-ld, Pel- 
ham, Southampton, Worthington and Westhampton. Tlie 
vote in Ham])sliirc county was. Kniglit 4.24S. Joluisou DO.i. 
Mr. Johnson accepted liis defeat gracefully. .su|)i)orteil Mr. 
Knight cordially for re-election, and was himself elected as 
^Ir. Knight's successor. Since then the councillor district 
has paid due respect to the claims of Hanipsliin\ 

DAVID B. WHITfOMB. OLD-LINE DEMOCRAT. 

N(i sketch of these eventful ])olitical times of half a cen- 
tury ago would be complete without mention of David 
B. Whitcomb. one of the leaders of the local Democracy. 
He was a Democrat of Democrats, with a will-power rival- 
ing that of Andrew Jackson. It was never necessary to in- 
cpiire where he stood in any political contest. He was 
always in the same position, with his eyes on the Demo- 
cratic flag and his shoulder to the Democratic wheel. No 
matter what came, victory or defeat, storm or calm, the 
balmy breeze or the whirlwind, he was at the front, ready 
to continue the fight for the Democratic cause. He was 
one of the most unyielding of men. He maintained his 
position, not only with lirmness. but with, to him. convinc- 
ing argument. There were two other men in town, of sim- 
ilar zeal, but of less argumentative power — Elijah Abbott, 
painter, and Samuel W. Lee, tinner, both as firmly 
Whig as Whitcomb was Democratic. Often these men 
would meet in the street and discuss political matters. 
They would get so excited and talk so loud as to attract 
general attention. Though they argued long and loud, 
they never made any impression upon each other, except 
t<5 confirm each in his ))reviously formed oijinion. Mr. 
Whitcomb, though he hated the Whigs and was glad to 
see them overthrown here in their stronghold, never 
yielded to the Free Soil movement nor voted for its candi- 
dates, and lived and died firm in the faith nf the Demo- 
cratic gospel, as it came down to him from Jellerson and 
Jackson. His sons, Waldo, David and Parker, are chips 
of the old block. 




(•(_)KNEU MAIN AM) KING STKKKTS. 



Tliis picture represents tlie south-eastei-iy cDiiier of Main 
and King streets, where the First National Bank bnilding 
now stantls. as it aj)i)eare(l in 1855. The laige Iniilding on 
the riglit is now a tenement honse. standing in the rear of 
tlie Smith Cbarities bnilding. It was moved away in l.Sti4. 
It was occupied in i);irt in 1855 by Ebenezer Hancock, sad- 
dler. w])o ke])t his shoj) there all the time he was in Tuisi- 
ness here, nearly forty years. In the northerly side of this 
building the Mi-sses S. <Sr C. Osborn had their millinery 
.shop foi- thirty-two years previous to 1851. The sign. 
'■ Bonnets and Ribbons," is seen in large letters ])ainted on 
the building above the second story. At the time of taking 
this picture this part of the building was occupied by Pat- 
terson &■ Eustis, harness-makers. 

The smaller building, to the left, was iK-cupied in purl liy 
Lee & Porter, stove-dealers. Here Samuel W. Lee was in 
business about forty years, retii'ing in 185S. The white 
horse seen in this ])icture. in front of tiie three-story build- 
ing, was Mr. Lft'V. and tlie veteran tinner himself was sit- 



7\ 

tiiii;- ill tlie wai^oii. Wallucc A. Hul>liaril. aiintlicr liarncss- 
nuiker. and a nuisician of some iintf. liail liis slid]) in tlie 
iKirtliorly eiitl. This liuildiiii:: fils" was moved to the rear, 
wlieii tlic bank huihling was erected, and converted into a 
tenement. Tlie two old wooden liuildings were sold by 
O.smyii Baker to Charles S. Crouch, wlio moved them off 
and fitted tliem up for tenements in 1S<)4. 

The white building on the extreme left was tlie house of 
T. B. Hutchins. He lived tliere and kept a small restau- 
rant and ice-cream saloon. In the warm season this was a 
famous i-esort for lovers of icecream. Dr. Rolierts" brick 
bouse now stands on the site of this old white house. 

The large elm tree seen on the left was one of two trees 
set near together by Deacon Ebenezer Hunt and his son 
Seth, about 1750. 

The land covering this cf)riier. from Dr. Roberts' line on 
King street to Main street and down to the Connecticut 
River railroad, including the Polly Pomeroy place on ]\laiii 
street, was boiij,'ht in ISIU by Osmyn Baker, and the bank 
building and Smith Chai'ities 1)nilding were ei'ected there 
a few years afterward. Mr. Baker was then trustee and 
treasurer of the Smith Charities. The purchase was made 
of John and Hannah Tai)[)an of Boston, and the jirice paid 
was 815.500. 

This King street corner has always been a noted place 
for business purposes, and moi'e than one hundred years 
ago Robert Breck and Seth Wright were quite large traders 
there. Robert Breck was the first postmaster of the town. 
and kept the post-olTice at his store on this corner. 

The small panes of glass seen in the three-story building 
give a good idea of the prevailing style of windows in the 
years 1800 to Is.iO. 



The )iictni-i' of Mi-. Hopkins, shown on Jiage 00, was 
taki'ii in l.sii'.i, about three yiNirs before his decease. 



CIIAPTKi; \ I. 

NOTKS l)N VAItlOUS MATTERS — NEW lUlI.niXGS — STACiE COACHES — MAIK 
STREET PARK — BELI, RINGINO— BEArTlKVlNG THE TOWN — FEW CON- 
STABLES — THE Tll\VERIN<i E].\\< — (iREAT MEN OK KIN(i STREET — OLD 
DOCTORS — INDEPENDENT POST SYSTEM — CATTLE SHOWS — PLOWING 
MATCHES — GROWTH OF THE TOWN — SCHOOLS — FLOG<iING BOYS — 
PECULL\R CHARACTERS— BAITING COWS IN THE STREETS. 

Thiuk iiuuKht a trille. thoUf:li it BiniiU iippeiir; 
Small sands the inovintain. nionieuts make the year, 
Auil tritU'B lite. 

— Youny. 

My I'ocollectioiis of the town liav^c ever been most pleas- 
ing. 1 liiivo known all its people, and had agreeable asso- 
ciations with most of tliem. Probably no man who ever 
lived in the town has written so mnch about its peoj)le. 
and especially about its prominent men. as the writer of 
these sketches. For fifty-seven years he has been in and 
out with them. He lias written of them living, and writ- 
ten of them dead. They were men of stalwart character, 
good aiul true. Tliey gave the town its good name and if.s 
enviable distinction, and are worthy of being spoken of 
with respect and admiration. 

ONLY THKEK FOREIGN VOTERS. ' 

(Jreat changes ha\c taken place in llic character o|' llic 
])eo]>lf of tlu> town during my residence here. Wlicn 1 
came here the foreign population was very small. .Michael 
Williams, Patrick Hayes and a man who worked on Round 
Hill com])rised about all the foreign-born voters in town. 
The rest were of the old original 'N'ankee stock, strong, 
vigorous, able, influential. 



TlIK CKNTKK NKAKl,^' AIJ. lUM.T ANEW. 

1 liavc weeii. wiLli luilf a ilozuii fXCL'iitiuus. every building; 
ill I 111' couter of tlie town, from the college to the railroad 
criissiiii;-. either remodeled or entirely rebuilt. The Baptist 
ehureli and the L'nitarian eliurch still i-emaiu much as they 
were, though each has received some additions, the former 
an imi)n)ve<l tower, an<l the latter an e.xtension in the rear. 
The (Jeorge Bennett lionse next west of the Baptist church, 
now owned and occupied by Dr. Highee, is tliere yet, and 
the canal storehouse, now Warren's livery stable, is still 
there : also the Prindle house and the Holley house and 
livery stable. The last two have changed least of all. All 
else lias been built new or reconstructed so as to entirely 
change their outward ai)pearance. Every biiildiug on 
Shop Row has been changed, so that, with a single excep- 
tion, nothing remains of its former appearance. This 
exception is the granite front block occupied hy the Butler 
bookstore and the Cook jewelry store. That remains as it 
was built in its front, in 18-.JS, excepting that its front wiu- 
<lows have changed and the front roof raised and pitched 
to the rear. 

COMINC; OF THK KAll.HoAD. 

Xothing has been so marked in the ever-chauging char- 
acter of the town as its means of transportation. The 
canal had come and gone, and then came the day of the 
steam railroad. The first passenger train from Springfield 
came to Northamjjton in December, 1845. I remember it 
well, as I was at the depot to assi.st in giving it welcome. 
There was quite a collection of people there, and a consid- 
erable number of Northampton men were on the train. 
The train stopped just below the south end of the depot, 
and Augustus Clarke, one of those on board the train, 
jumped off and called for three cheers for the new railroad, 
wliich were given with great emi)hasis. 

The construction of the railroad to Springfield was a 
great thing for Northampton. It was labored for most 



r4 

earnestly by ihc Icailiiii^ men of the town. \vli<i lif^'un-cl iluit 
it would be a good investment, but it has far surpassed all 
their expectations. The stock in its early years sold as low- 
as 850 a share, ami now is scarce at S280. 

THK OT.T) STAGE COACHES. 

The times of which we write were the harvest days of 
the stage-coaching business. Lines of stages i-an from 
Northampton in every direction, to Boston on the east, to 
Albany on the west, to Hartford and New York on the 
south, to Brattleboro and Dartmouth on the north. North- 
ampton was a great stage-coach centei'. it had taverns 
equal to the demand. There were the Warner House, the 
Mansion House, the American House, the Nonotuok House, 
and the Curtis tavern, in the center, and ""Paul Strong's" 
and "Sol Warner's " on the road to Williamsburg. Some of 
the owners and managers of these lines were Cornelius 
Delano and Asahel Wood of Northanijjton, James H. Clapj) 
of Bclchcrtown, and Chester W. Chapin of Springfield. 
The large barn on River street was built and used for the 
staging liusiness, also the Holley barn on Main street. The 
arrival and departure of the stages was the princii)al feat- 
ure of the day. and the music of the bugle announcing 
the coming of the stage-coach was ever a ]ileasing sound to 
the village dwellers. 

THK I'AKK IN THK CKNTKK OK MAIN STKKKT. 

Ill till' center of Main strt'et, opposite the Butler book- 
store, there was a small park, oval in shape, on which were 
a number of inaplr and elm trees, affording grateful shade 
and beauty. Tlic' park was enclosed witli ii low wooden 
railing, and in tin' center was a fine liberty pole, from 
which the national flag floated «n great occasions. The 
park was about one iiundreii feet in length. As the town 
grew in po|iii!atic)ii more room for public travel was needed, 
and this park, the i)ride of the merchants on Sho]) How. 
who made it from earth brought from the tJovernor Strong 



lot wlifii llio Connect icut Kivcr railroad wa^ Iniilt. was 
removed by the selectmen. It grieved the hearts of the 
iiieri-hants to see it go, and Mai'vin French and others on 
ilie ■■ How" begged tlie autborities to spare even one tree. 
But they refused, and this beauty spot of the center disap- 
jieared. 

HKM, HI.S(aN(i AT NOON AND NINE O'CLOCK AT NIGHT. 

( )ne feature of the times of lialf a century asfo, which 
has gone with the passing years, was the ringing of tlie ohl 
church bell at noon and at nine o'clock at night. This cus- 
tom, so dear to the old jjeople, wlio heard its familiar sound 
at those hours iu their youtli, was kept up here until about 
thirty years ago, when the town fathers, without authority 
from the town, discontinued it. In the early times it was 
of special vahie to the many toilers in the meadows, in 
notifying them of the noon hour : Init it was of little use 
in lliesc times of numerous clocks and watches aud passing 
railroad trains at I'egulai' hours, but there were some who 
regretted its discontinuance. There are things that have a 
value because of their anti(|uity. like an ancient clock or 
an olil piece of furniture, and tliis old bell-ringing custom 
was one of this class. 

BEAUTIh^ IN(; TUK TOWN. 

Tiie old residents of fifty to sixty years ago paid much 
attention to beautifying the town. Capt. Isaac Damon was 
l)rominent in this work. He was the master carpenter who 
built tlie old church in 1810-l:i. He was one of the most 
liublic-s]>irited men in the town and took great pride in 
improving and beautifying its a()pearance. Capt. Jonathan 
Brewster, keeper of the old Mansion House, near the col- 
lege, also did much in this direction. The citizens generally 
were })roud of the town. They set numerous sliade trees 
along the streets, and these, with the general rural aspect 
that everywhere prevailed, with its fine old-fashioned resi- 
dences and the charming scenery, gave the town a distinc- 
tion foi- beauty that was widely recognized. 



rr, 

KKW CONSTABLES IN OLD TIMES. 

The rliaufj^i' in tin- i)<)liciiig ol' tlic tuwii lias been marked. 
Up to uliDiit twenty-five years ago thei'e was no patrol iiitj 
of the .streets by policemen, clay or night. For a long 
series of years Ansel Wright and his sons, George and 
An-sel, Jr., were the principal constables of the town. They 
were also depnty sherifTs. They were on duty only when 
called upon. There was le.ss disorder then than now. 
With the increase of popidation came more restless ele- 
ments, and ]3atrolinen became necessary. The fact that in 
the nearly ten years that I published the Courier, jn-evious 
to 1858. the office door was never locked, though it fronted 
on the principal street of the town, and nothing was ever 
disturbed, shows the feeling of security that prevailed here. 
William F. Kingsley of Pleasant street, now about seventy- 
live years old, relates that in his early years it was not cus- 
tomary for i)e()])le here to lock their houses at night. 

THE TOWERING ELMS. 

One of the delightful features of the center of North- 
ampton in its more rural years were the large elm trees 
which lined the streets in the business section. There was 
a row of splendid old elms the whole length of Shoj) How, 
from the Hunt house to Pleasant street. These trees 
afforded a grateful shade and added beauty to the street. 
Tlie large.st and iiandsomest of these trees stood in front of 
the west corner of Merritt Clark's store. It was a real 
beauty, more than four feet in diameter at the base, and 
tall, stately, and well spread in its branches. There were, 
also, large elms on the opposite side of the street, one in 
front of the Warner House, and one in front of the Lyman 
blnck. Tlu^ro were, also, large elms on either side of Main 
street as far down as the railroad crossing. In the fork of 
the highway at the junction of Main and King streets, 
there were two very large elms, standing twenty-five to 
thirty feet apart, and between them were the hay-scales for 
puliiic use. These trees iiave all disappeared. One after 



another tlioj^ liave fallen bcl'ure the destroyer. It grieved 
the ohl residents to see them go, but there was no help 
for it. 

GREAT MEN OF KINO STREET. 

King street, in 1S4.5, could boast of niany notable resi- 
dents. On the easterly side, beginning; near Main street, 
were the homes of T. B. Hutehins. Deaeon John P. Willis- 
ton, Samuel Wells, clerk of courts. Dr. G. D. Peck, Deacon 
James Hibben, President William Allen. Col. George 
Shepard. Dr. Charles Walker, Erastus Hopkins, Cashier 
Josiah D. Whitney, Deacon Aaron Breek, Dr. Charles 
Seeger, and Deacon Elijjhalet Williams, president of the 
Northampton bank, all men of distinction and prominent 
in the affairs of the town. This was perhaps the most 
aristocratic re-sidence i)arl of the town. 

T.WEKN-KEEPERS W KKK INFLUENTIAL MEN. 

Sixty years ago the tavern was the center of much of the 
active life of the town. There, in the "bar-room," men 
gathered to discuss the questions of the times. There they 
gathered also to learu the news. It was Judge Lyman's 
habit, when the stage came in from Boston at night, to 
repair to Warner's tavern to learn the news. The stage- 
driver acted as a sort of news-gatherer and news-distrilni- 
tor. The " bar-room" was usually well tilled at night with 
travelers and townspeople. ' The tavern-keeper thus be- 
came an im])ortant factor in local affairs. He was gen- 
erally a man of caijacity in shaping tiie political affairs of 
town and county. Oliver Warner, the keeper of the War- 
ner House, was a man of large influence in imlilic matters, 
as was his predece.ssor, Asahel Pomeroy. 

THE ol.I) lioCTOKS. 

The leading physicians of the t(nvn were the two Thomp- 
sons, ''Dr. Daniel" and "Dr. Jinu" Later came another 



Thompson. "Dr. Au.^^tin." Tlicrc wi-n- otlicr jiliysiciaiis 
here, like Dr. Beiijainin Barrett. Dr. (i. D. Peck, and later. 
Dr. James Duiilai). Dr. Barrett had retired from active 
practice about 1845. The Tliomp.sons had llieir office over 
Hillyer's drug-store and all their jirescriptions were put np 
at tliat store. They came to tlieir office in the morning, 
usually with horse anil carriage, and aftci- an Imur or two 
spent tiiere started out on tlieir daily circuit to visit tlu^ir 
patients. Dr. Daniel's old white hobtaileil horse, a faithful 
animal, which he drove many years, became a familiar fig- 
ure tf) the peoi)le of the town frmn long service in his share 
of medical ]3ractice. 

.\N INDKPENDENT I'OST SYSTE-M. 

An indejtendent post service was started here in 1S44 
with A. W. Thayer as agent, office on Shop Row. about 
where John E. Riley's store is now. It advertised to send 
letters to Boston, New York, and Philadelphia, had agen- 
cies in Amherst, Deerfield and Greenfield, and tried to com- 
pete with the national government in the ])ost office busi- 
ness. The government shut down on it after a sliort trial 
and its agencies were closed, llr. Tliayer considered this 
a gross infringement upon individual rights and made vig- 
orous pi'otest against the alleged usur])ation. 

OLD IIMK ('ATTI.E SHOWS. 

The cattle shows in the forties ami fifties were conducted 
in (piite a different manner from what they are now. The 
show-grounds were in the center street, stretching from the 
easterly corner of King street to tlie old chundi. The en- 
trance to King street was mucli wider then than it is now. 
The roadway swung around nii lach side, cutting oft each 
corner, so that (juite a sti'lj) of laud that is now inclosed in 
the court house park was used for highway, and the same 
on the opposite corner, where the First National l>ank 
building stands. The cattle were stretclied along ^lain 
street, and up against the stone wall that extended out in 



to 

front of tlie old town liall weiv the oyster tents. Tliere 
Capt. Samuel P. Janes, a noted Democratic leader, had his 
oyster tent as regularly as cattle-show came around. Over 
the doorway to his tent was his familiar sign, "" S. P. Janes. 
Old Line." When customei's were few he would come out 
of his tent, with his long apron on, shout the virtues of ins 
oysters, call upon the hungry to come in, and then, with a 
long ladle, stir up the few oysters that were in his stew- 
kettle, greatly to the entertainment of the on-looking crowd 
of boys. 

THK PLOWING .M.XTCHES. 

In those days the cattle show was not complete without 
a plowing match. These were well contested, as skillful 
plowing was then quite fashionable. There were many 
entries in this department, one year as many as twenty are 
recorded. The contests took place on the meadows, along 
the road to Hockanum. One of the chain ])ion contestants 
was Joseph B. Parsons, now known all over Massacliusetts 
as "Colonel Joe," the state pension agent. The Colonel, 
then an ambitious lad of sixteen years, took the first pre- 
mium in 1844, and in 1855 again was awarded tiie first pre- 
mium of 87. He was a competitor in these plowing 
matches five years and took a premium each year. His 
skill attracted the attention of Solon Robinson, the orator 
of the day on one occasion, who coniplimentfi! liim in his 
address on his skill in handling tlie plow. 

Oxen were to a considerable extent still used by farmers. 
Premiums were offered for ])lowing with both oxen and 
horses. In the i)lowing match of 1S40 tiiere wei'c two com- 
petitors who used oxen — Elisha Strong of Northampton. 
and Theodore Bridgman of Belchertown, but the horses 
were more numerous. Oxen were not much used at plow- 
ing matches after that. 

GROWTH OF TIIK TOWN. 

No part of the town has gnnvn morr lapiclly than that 
lyiiiK iioi'tji of Main street, now crossed li\ Center, Stale 



So 

and ^lasoTiic streets. Tliat was almost an open country as 
late as 1870. The Gotliic; seminary building and the boys" 
high school, the lattei' on the site of the present Center 
grammar scliool house, were tlie principal buildings in that 
region. This was originally Asahel l'onieroy"s lionie lot, 
where he cnt his biggest croj) of grass. An advertisement 
in the Gazette of September, lS-10, by W. \V. Partridge, 
auctioneer, offers for sale "the ai)ples growing on the lot 
in rear of Warner's Coffee House." 

THK sfirooi.s. 

The schools of the town were not like the schools of the 
present time. There were, besides the district schools, the 
boys' high school in tin; o\H'n lot 1)ehind the old chui'idi and 
the girls" school standing some distance back from the road 
on land now covered by the South street boulevard. These 
were brick buildings, cheaply constructed, lieated by large 
box wood stoves. Rev. D. M. Crane, i)astor of the Ba])tist 
churcli. was the |irini-i|ial school comnuttec man. and 
Rodolphus B. Hulibard and Eli A. Hubl)ard were success- 
ively j)rincipal of tlie high school. Rev. Hiram Bingham, 
wliii married Miss Martlia Brewster, daughter of Capt. 
Jonathan Brewster, keeper of the original Mansion House, 
was princij)al of this school, and left that j)osition to enter 
upon his rais.sionary work in Honolulu. He and his wife 
are still living and engaged in tlie sani(^ missionary labor. 

FLO(H;IN(i UOVS NO I,<>.N<ilCR TOLEK.\TEI). 

Tlie change in the manner of family and stdiool govern- 
7nent should be noticed. Corporal i)unishnient is no longer 
tolerated. Sixty years ago it was a common practice. It 
was often a question whetlier the schoolmaster or the big 
boys should rule, and the use of the whip and the strap was 
a frequent occurrence. This was also the case in family 
government. The l)oy who did not receive a good flogging, 
either at school or at home, was not considered to be ])ro])- 
eily bi-ouglit up. The cliange in tliis respect is most nota- 
ble. It marks the progress of our civilization. 



81 

LESS PROFANITY NOW THAN FORMERLY. 

Ill aiKitlier respect tlu'rc lias heen a marked advance. 
There is less profanity now than there used to be — niiuli 
less. This has donbtless conic fi'om the raising of the level 
of education and the general iijilirting of the tone of social 
life. Profanity has been made disreputable. No man. 
young or old. can now maintain a decent standing in the 
community who iiabitually uses profane language. It is a 
mark of vulgarity. Perhaps the more free mingling of 
young men and young ladies in oui' public schools, acade- 
mies, colleges and universities than formerly has contribu- 
ted to this imjirovemeiit. But certain it is that in this 
l)articiilai' tln-rc has been a gi-i-at change for the better. 

PECULIAR CHARACTERS. 

A town of the size of Xortluimi)ton. with about 4500 
pol)ulation, always has some peculiar characters. They are 
not its great men, the leaders of thought and action. Init 
oddities, usually men of ability. l)ut distinguished for their 
eccentricities. Such a character- was Dr. Sylvester Graham. 
He was a man of decided ability. His hobby was the 
dietetic theory known as the "Graham system." He pub- 
lished a book called the " Science of Life," and boasted of 
the imperishability of his own name and fame. He ex- 
liDunded his pet theory with great ability and earnestness. 
He was great in controversy, and many of his articles were 
]iul>]ish('d in the local pajiers. He never could stop writing 
until he had worn his antagonist out. It is recorded in the 
Gazette that he addressed a Whig meeting in Plainfield and 
spoke four hours and a half to an unwearied audience. He 
used to appear on Main street, arrayed in his long dressing- 
gown. 

Another of the eccentric men of the town was John 
Ed<;n. He came here from England and was furnished 
with funils by his friends thei'e. He was well along in life 
and married a widow, Mrs. Colson, who owned a little 
house on the southerly side of Elm street, well uji toward 



8S 

the entrance to Vernon street. He was a well educated 
man and contributed many articles to the local ])ai)ers. He 
aided greatly in prejjaring the literary feast at the annual 
cattle show dinners and in preparing reports of commit- 
tees. Having plenty of leisure time, he was daily seen 
about town, a familiar figure, always neatly dressed, greet- 
ing everyone with politeness and cordiality. From here he 
drifted to Hartford, and died there abi)ut the close of the 
Civil war. 

There were other notable characters, like John Hannum, 
jeweler ; Dr. .Tared Bartlett. teacher of penmanship and 
gardener, who lived near Welch End bridge : T. B. Hutch- 
ins, the ice-cream man and repairer of old clocks : S. P. 
Janes, the oyster and fish man ; Dr. E. T. Wood, veteri- 
nary surgeon and an original genius; Henry (). Edwards, 
restaurant keeper, fisherman and story-teller, who never 
failed to have a fitting remark for every occasion ; Jerry 
Wells, photographer and fisherman: "Stiff" Phelps, the 
South street hunter: while Elijah Abbi^tt, Samuel W. Lee 
and Ebenezer Hancock were original characters, each in his 
peculiar way. 

BAITING COW.S. 

One of tiu- iiriniitive customs of the times was thp bait- 
ing of cows along the roadside. l)y Alexander Wright. He 
would gather a large number of cows, from the central 
parts of the town, and bait them along the highway up 
King street, moving leisurely to a jiasture a mile or two 
outside. In the afternoon he drove them back in the same 
slow way, returning each cow to the barn of its owner. 
This custom was in practice here through the forties and 
into the fifties, and ended witii tln' death of Mr. Wright. 

LITTLK OHSKi;\ AN( K OK CllKISI'MAS. 

The observance of Christmas was not much in vogue 
here previous to 1850. In fact, very little attention was 
paid to the (hiy. The principal i)ublic days were the 4th of 
July, the cattle-shows and military musters, and Thanks- 



8.'} 

.ijiviiig day. Fast day was obsei'ved luiali like Sunday. 
Tliere was no such thing as " Cliristmas trade." Wedding 
jH'eseiits were few — the fashion of minierous and costlj^ 
wedding presents liad not arrived. The merchants made a 
great deal of the cattle-show trade and advertised liberally 
to attract it. Peo})le from the outlying towns were ex- 
pected to visit the stores as well as to inspect the agricul- 
tural exhibition, and there was an unusual amount of store- 
trading done here on the cattle-show days. 

JOSIAH r>. WHITNKY AND DEACON ELIPHALET WILLIAMS. 

No one who saw Josiah D. Whitnej'. the venerable cash- 
ier of the "Old Bank." in his later years, arrayed in his 
long fur-lined, wra])per-!ike coat, will ever forget his strik- 
ing appearance. He was often seen down town in that 
uni(|ue dress in cold weather. That coat is still preserved, 
and in the possession of his son, Prof. Henry M. Whitnej', 
libi'arian at Rranford, Ct. 

Tlie a])])earance of Deacon Elipiialet Williams, the aged 
])resident of the bank, as he came along down King street 
in th(^ niurning. swinginti; the big key to tlie bank vault, 
was also a striking and familiar sight. The key was tied 
to the end of a short stick, for convenience of handling, 
and the st.ilwart president would occasionally give it a 
whirling, summersault motion, by way of entertainment 
foi- himself, no doubt, and possibly to check the enthusiasm 
of those who might be possessed of burglarious intentions. 
Deacon Williams was accustomed to ask those who apjilied 
at the bank for loans, " What use they were going to make 
of the money ? " This sometimes gave offense to the cus- 
tomer, but complaining availed not, for the Deacon was 
master of the loan situation. 




OLD TOWN HALL ANIl KNTKANCK TO KING KTlil.i;!. 



This picture gives a good reprctienlatioii of the uhi town 
liall. after it was abandoned for town meetings. The stone 
wall that ran out from the westerly corner toward Main 
street, as shown in the fr<jntispiecc. has disapjjeared. also 
the stairway in the corner, and the land is graded, with a 
low- i-ailing at the foot of the slope. The balcony in front 
of the hall, along the second story, has also disa])])eared. 
The basement was used by the Hook and Ladder company, 
the entrance and egress being where the slo])ing jjlatforin 
is seen. The sack and bucket a])])aratus was also stoi'ed in 
this basement. In the rear is seen the brick buihling where 
Elijah Abbott had his paint-shoj). occu])ying the easterly 
part, and Alonzo Eustis had a harness shop in the westerly 
part. In the second story of this building .Inhn Metcalf 
and his son, Lyman, liad for iiiaiiy years a job ])rinting 
ollice. This was a brick building, owned l)y Deacon Kliph- 
alet Williams. The next buihliug to the east was of wood, 
owned by Dr. Benjamin Barrett, and was used for a stove- 
store and tin-sho]), fir.st by James R. Day in 1848. and then 



85 

ItyNatliaii H. Killoii. ami at'tci-ward 1>\ Win. (i. Dickinson 
I'm- a jjjrocery. ^Ir. Dickinson did the weitjfliini!: at the liay- 
scali's. Tlu'se two buildinijs jjjave way for the present 
Jnnes lilock. The next liiiiMiiig, erected in 18o5 by Chark-s 
8. Pratt, carpenter and contractor, and used for a sasli and 
blind business by Isaac R. Clark, stands there now. Below 
is the original Kinney marble sliop, just as it stood when 
C. yi. Kinney carried on the marble cutting business there 
lifty years ago. It has since been raised by the addition of 
another story. In the distance are seen tlie buildings on 
Round Hill. In front, we see, with remarkable clearness, 
the two large elm trees that stood in the fork of the roads 
and the hay-scales between them, owned by Ansel and 
Christopher Wright. F<ir Tuany years these were the prin- 
cipal public scales in the town. King street had two 
entrances, one turning to the west and cutting off a con- 
siderable portion of the corner of the court-house lot, the 
other tui-niug to the east and cutting off the corner where 
now stands the First National bank building. The flag- 
staff shown stood in front of the entrance to the rear half 
of the second story of the town hall, opening on the west 
side. That room was used by the Torrent engine company 
and afterward by the military comjjany. Company C of 
the 10th regiment had its head(|uart(!rs there before going 
to the war in ISGl, and Com])any C of the 52d regiment 
met there before starting for Cam]i Miller at Greenfield in 
18H-.i. Thei'e was a driveway between the town hall and 
the court house. There was no court house park then, nor 
even a spot of green about the building, and it was not 
generally known that the county owned the land where the 
town hall stood. The exact date of the picture is not 
known, but the representation shows the buildings, street 
and hay -scales as they were in 1855. 



CHAPTER \ 11. 

A FINE OLD NORTHAMPTON HOMESTKAD ON MAIN STREET — JUDGE JOSEPH 
LYMAN AND HIS DISTINQCISHED WIFE — THEIR HOME THE CENTER OF 
THE BEST SOCIETY IN THE TOWN. 

Peace to the just man's memory:— let it grow 
Greener with years, and blossom through the Itight 
Of time: let the mimic eauvas show 
His calm, benevolent features: let the light 
Stream on his deeds of love, that shunned the sight 
Of all but heaven, and, in the book of fame, 
The glorious record of his virtues write. 

— Bryant. 

The reason firm, the temperate will. 
Endurance, foreslpht, strength and skill. 
A perfect woman, nobly planned. 
Tu warn, to comfort, and command. 

— Wordsxforth. 

One of the principal charms of the town were its fine old 
residences in the center of the village. There were many 
beantiful residences a little out from the center — the 
Thomas Napier house on Elm street, now the Capen 
school ; the Jud<?o Hen.shaw house on Elm street, now 
owned by Bisliop Huntington ; the Judge Howe house, the 
Col. John Stoddard house and the Bowers house on Pros- 
pect street ; the Erastus Hopkins house on King street ; 
the David Damon house and J. Stebbins Lathrop house on 
Bridge street : the J. H. Butler house on Hawley street : 
and tlie houses of Thomas and Samuel Wlntniarsh on 
South street ; but they were so far from the center tliat 
they added little to the rural aspect of tlie center village as 
viewed from its ])rincipal street. 

Ill till' Very heart (.if the town, almost in tuucli with its 



S7 

principal tavorii. on the iKjrth side of ilaiii street, was 
Judge Joseph Lyman's beautiful home— a square-framed 
two-story house, with a wing on each side some distance 
back, set among towering shade trees, witli a barn, shed, 
and large dooryard to the west, all fronting on the main 
thoroughfare. In the easterly corner of the front yard, 
next to the Lyman brick block, there was a large seringo 
bush, which in summer gave fragrance and beauty to the 
dwellers within and the passers-by. The trees were elms, 
locust, and horse chestnuts. Tliere was a fence in front of 
the entire premises. The honored Judge had recently 
(1817) ended his labors and passed to his reward in the 
world beyond, but his wife remained. She was a very 
i-emarkal)le woman, distinguished for her rare personal 
beauty in the years of her youth, when she came as a bride 
from "Brush Hill"' in Milton to grace Judge Lyman's 
home, and for the genial hospitality and cliarm of manner 
with which she adorned her lujusehold. The Judge, also, 
was noted for his fine personal appearance and gentlemanly 
bearing, and it was a common I'emark that they were " the 
handsomest couple that ever entered the old church." 
They were married in 1811. when Judge Lyman was forty- 
two and she twenty-one. A few years after the death of 
her husl)and Jlrs. Lyman removed to her old iiome in Mil- 
ton, where slie died in 1867, surviving him twenty years. 
The Judge Lyman house stood until 1870, when it was de- 
stroyed by fire and the land sold for building purposes. 
Tlie Keating block, and the stores between it and the Man- 
sion House, Carr- bakery and other buildings in the rear 
and on Masonic street, now stand on the site of this old 
homestead. Here Judge Lyman lived nearly all his life ; 
here he entertained the judges and lawyers from a distance 
during the sessions of the courts ; here the people of the 
town came, the rich and the poor alike, as children come 
to their home: and here were i)eace, comfort, cdntentmcnt 
and happiness in rare abundance. 

After Mrs. Lyman left her home hero, the house was 
occupied several years by Dr. Samuel A. Fisk. Judge Ly- 



S8 

mail ownef] Ihe lot between tlu' Uiiitaiian churcli ami the 
Prindle house, on which now stands the Clarke library 
building, and used it for a garden. Dr. Fisk pastured his 
two cows there when he occupied the Lyman house, and 
had a garden in the west end of the liouse lot. where the 
Rust block and otlier stores now stand. The house, in its 
later years, was used lor business purposes, and was thus 
used wlien it was destroyed by fire. 

In tlie years of Judge Lyman's prime of life — 1811 to 
1840— his home was tlie center of the best social life of 
Northampton. The tf)wu was then distinguished far be- 
yond its borders I'm- its refined and cultivated society. 
There were among its residents in that pei-iod. Geoi-ge Ban- 
croft and Joseph G. Cogswell, the founders of tlie Round 
Hill school, tlie lawyers who conducted the law .school, 
Madame Dwight of the Young Ladies' institute, or Gothic 
seminary, the pastors of the various churches, and the 
families of Judge Joseph Lyman, Judge Samuel Howe, 
Judge (Charles A. Dewey. Judge Samuel Henshaw, Dr. 
David Hunt. Isaac C. Bates. Elijah H. Mills. Ebenezer 
Hunt. Judge Samuel F. Lyman, Samuel L. Hinckley, 
Thomas Najiier. Heni>- Bright. David Lee Child. Samuel 
an<l Tliotnas Whitnuirsh, Christopher Clarke. John Clarke, 
Edward Clarke, Stephen Brewer. Tlmuias Shepherd. Hi'Ui-y 
Shephenl. J. Hunt Butler. Samuel Wells. President Will- 
iam Allen. Ki'aslus Ho])kins, Henry G. Bowers. Sok)mon 
Stoddard. Lewis Strong, the Clafks, Pomeroys, Damons, 
Warners, and many others, all ])eo))le well-to-do for those 
times. The town was then moi'e isolated than it has been 
since the advent of railroads. Strangers were comi)ara- 
tively few. and the ])eo])le necessarily made more of their 
local life. There was (until KS'^iti) but one (diurch in the 
town and all came together on Sundays in the old meeting- 
house, not merely for public worshijj, but for an out])our- 
ing and intermingling of their social natures. There were 
no select sets, surrouiuled by walls barring out other peo- 
ple. There was a common feeling of kinship among all 
the people, cemented witli respect for the aged, the wise 



uiul tin- j;i»)il. Evfi-yljuily kiii-'W uverybt)dy in tlie town. 
It wiis iiuleed u remarkably happy and self-rospectiiig coni- 
iiiuiiity. 

Ju<lj;'u Lyinan's hoiuf was (listiiij;iii.--lu'<i for tlic lu;si)ital- 
ity maiutaiiieil tliere. Both the Judge ami liis wife were 
es])ecially yit'ted as entertainers. Tliere was little distinc- 
tion shown. All the ])eople of the town were welcomed at 
the home of Judge Lyman. Many visitors from Boston 
and the Berkshire hills came, also the prominent people of 
the surrounding regions. Among those who came from 
Boston were Rev. James Freeman Clarke, Raljdi Walilo 
Emei-son. ;ind Rev. Dr. Edward Everett Hale. The latch- 
string was always hanging outside the door and there was 
rarely a meal wlien some visitor was not present at the 
family table. It is related that the keeper of the village 
tavern comjilained that he could not make tavern-keeping 
tliere profitalile, because Judge Lyman invited so many of 
the visitors to the town to his home. 

Jxidge Lyman was most fortunate in the cdioice of his 
second wife. Though much younger than himself, she 
came to his happy lu^me as a bride etjuipped with a culti- 
vated mind, refined and dignified manners, a high Christian 
sj)irit. ;ind a resolute and iui|)etuous nature, which made 
her at once, and by common consent, the central figure in 
the sociiil life of the town. Shr was wonderfully indus- 
trious, and possessed the rare faculty of accomi)lisliiiig much 
by working through others as well as by the labor of hei' 
own hands. She saw. noi' wanted to .see, no idle hours. 
Her nature was generous and unselfish to a marked degree, 
and she was never hajipier than when doing f(jr others. 
Her efforts were not confined to those of her own house- 
hold and kindred, but embraced the whole circle of her 
acquaintance, and even beyond that. She aided many 
young men to obtain a collegiate education — among them 
William S. and James B. Thayer, sons of Abijah W. 
Thayer, and Chauncey Wright, son of Deputy Sheriff 
Ansel Wright, all of whom graduated at Harvard. 

Mrs. Lyman was a teacher iu the Sunday school in the 



90 

old meeting-house in the years when there was but one 
church in the town, ;ind continued as such after tlie Unita- 
rian church was organized and a separate church built. 
She wrote numerous letters to her absent relatives, which 
l)ear abundant evidenc(> of her cultivated mind and high 
ideals of life. Some years after her death, her daughter, 
Mrs. Susan L. Lesley, compiled many of these letters and 
had them ])ublished, together with a detailed sketch of her 
life, entitled "Recollections of My Mother," a beautiful 
tribute to a devote<l nuitlierand a queenly woman. These 
■■ Recollections " were prepared only for the jirivate use of 
the family and a few relatives and friends, and atlirst only 
one hundred copies were printed, but later another small 
edition was printed. The whole fills a book of 400 pages. 
By the kindness of the late Edward H. R. Lyman, a son of 
Judge and Mrs. Lyman, a copy of this most interesting 
and valuable book was placed in the Clarke library, for the 
use of the people of the town, to whom it must ever be a 
pleasing reminder of the life of the community in what 
have now become its important historic years. The 
"Recollections" are most charmingly written, and being 
])rej)ared with the freedom which absence from public 
observation invited, are all the more valuable. It is indeed 
a fascinating book, and our later generations must thank 
Mrs. Lesley for what she has done in lifting tiie veil and 
opening to public view tlielifeof her distinguislied parents, 
and also an inside view of the communitj- in which they 
bore so jjrominent a ])art. In reading her " Recollections,*' 
and i)erusing the vivacious letters of iier nu)ther, one is 
irresistilily carried back to those early days, and seems to 
live again, an interested member of thai deliglitful society 
in this most delightful country town. 

A copy of this book was also placed in the Boston ])nblic 
library by the family, and I am told that it is one of the 
most called-for books in the library. Judge and Mrs. Ly- 
man were well Icnoun in J^oston. and often visited there, in 
its best society. 

The following exti'acts from this book of " Recollec- 



01 



tious" give a vivid picture of the rural town and the inner 
life of its charming society, wliicli nowhere else can be 
found : — 

" Northampton was at that period one of the most beauti- 
ful of New England villages. My father's house stood in 
tlie very renter, — a large, old-fashioned, .square house, with 
a wing on each side back from the main Iniilding. Each 
wing had a little covered porch looking out into the Main 
street. A small yard on one side separateil the house from 






<« ^n ._:w -^-^ Sir, ^^^^t.ar 




;f t^-"^^ 



c^l 



•I 



"1^ 



.UIKMC .JOSEPH LYMAN S HOTSE. 



a bi'ick store, whose upper floor was (>ccuj)ied by a printing 
office. The other side-yard was much larger and more 
rui'al. Thei'e was almost a grove of beautiful acacias there, 
and in the little front enclosure were a tulip-tree and many 
flowering shrubs ; a row of five horse chestnuts and a large 
i-lm shaded and protected the house somewhat from the 
glare and <Uist of Main street. 

■' The outlooks from the house were all charming. On the 
opposite side of the street, and separated from it by one of 



03 

the l()V(:^licst t'ri)iil yui'ds. stooil the housi,' of niu- neighbor, 
Mr. El)eiiezL'r Hunt, wliose ))lace was always kept in ])i'r- 
fect order, and an exqnisite taste presided over all the 
hedges and tlowering plants and lovely vines. Near to it 
came, a few years later, onr little clinrcli, a small Greeian 
teniiile, with its avenne of trees leading to it. an<l with 
Mrs. Hnnt's garden on one side and my lather's on the 
otlier. the very spot now- occnpied by the ])nblie library. 
From my window in oni' honse there was something pleas- 
ant foi- the eye to i-est n])on. and little vistas of exquisite 
beauty, even though in the heart of the village. As soon 
as the autumn leaves had fallen, the west end of Monnt 
Tom appeared to us through the interval between Mr. 
Hunt's house and the little (diurch, — a grand and noble 
peak, that well re{)aid us for the loss of foliage and sum- 
mer beauty ; and from onr front door, winter and summer, 
we could always see Mount Holyoke, in varying lights and 
shadows — .sometimes eloud-capped and dark, sometimes 
resplendent with the sun-tipi)ed mists that were rolling 
away from it. My mother delighted in natural beauty, 
and no one ever enjoyed more than she did the sights and 
sounds that surrounded her. 

" There were no very rich ])(,'ople in >>ortlianiplon. but 
uumy jiersons of elegant culture, refined and aristocratic 
manners, and possessing a nujderate ciunpetence. lived 
there in much ease, envying no one, rt'ally belit.-ving them- 
selves highly favored, as they were, and pi-ai'ticing a gen- 
erous hospitality at all tinu's. It was a county town, and 
so seemed a hirge ])lace to the ])eoi)le on the outskirts, but 
it really nuniliered only looii iiduibitants. If there were 
no rich jieople, there was certainly an utter absence of pov- 
erty, and none of those sad sights to meet the eye, reininil- 
ing one of Mr destiny entirely different from one's own. 
Little or no business was done there, but Shop Row con- 
tained about ten stores, all of them excellent, dry goods and 
hardware stores, aiul an a])othecary's, which nnide a little 
cheerful bustle in the center of the town, esjiecially on cer- 
tain days of the week, when the country people would 



come in in their old-fashioned wagons to do tlicir shopping. 
There were'two United States senators residing there for 
life, three judges, many eminent lawyei's and scholars, re- 
tired peo])le, who had no r(ninection with tlie business 
world, and who lived witliin tlicir moderate income, and 
never dreamed of having more. The matciiless heanty of 
the scenery attracted many visitors. The more wealthy 
families of Boston were fond of taking carriage journeys 
of two or tliree weeks, and would take Northampton in 
their way as they went into Berkshire. Many a family 
have come in this way to our two hotels in the summer and 
autumn, and would stop two or three days to ascend ]Mouiit 
Holyoke or Tom, to drive to Mount Warner or Sugar Loaf, 
to walk over Round Hill, or round and through the rui-al 
streets of our village, which wei-e so lined with magniticent 
elms, that, from the mountain, it always looked as if built 
in a forest. Every morning the stage for Boston — the old- 
fashioned, yellow stage-coach, with a driver who was the 
personal friend of the whole village— drew up in front of 
Warner's tavern, with a great flourish of whijjjjing up tlH> 
four horses : and every evening the stage from Boston was 
known to be approaching by the musical notes of the bugle- 
horn in the distance. I think the driver always wound his 
horn just after he crossed the great bridge from Hadley. 

" ]\Iy father was one of the most industrious f)f men ; all 
through winter's cold and summer's heat he labored faith- 
fully at his law business from morning till night, for tht? 
maintenance of his large f;imily. If ever man fnltilled the 
injunction, ' Not slothful in busine.ss. fervent in spirit, 
.serving the Lord,' he did. Social enjoyment was his great, 
in fact his only, recreation : and the sound of the stnge- 
horn at eventide was to him like martial music to a war- 
horse. His face wouhTglow in the evening light, his ste]) 
become alert. He reached liis hat fi-om the tree in the hall, 
ami hastened out to be at the tavern before the stage a])- 
))eared. With 'a shining countenance he wnuld retuiii and 
tell of the fine people who had arrived ; how lie had 
offered liis carriage and hor.ses t(j Mr, A,, or Mrs, B, and 



f»4 



lier (laughters, to go up the niouutaiii tlic next (la\- : li'iw? 
lie luul invited this friend to lireakt'ast with him. another 
to tea. More often he came home with some person in ill 
health, or in sorrow, not likely to be (juite comfortable at 
the tavern : and 'Wouldn't it be well to send Hiram for 
their trunks and tell them to i-unu' right here ';' To which 
my mother's quick i-es])onse, ' Why, of course, that's the 
only thing to do,' made him entirely hnp])y, as he hurried 
off to summon his guests. 




.JllXiK .lUSKl'U I.V.M.\.\. 

"The numbi-r of really fine gentlemen who assembled at 
our house to see my fatln'r. a) most every day, for at least 
seven or eight months of the long year, was very great. 
The judges of the supri^me court were all warmly attached 
to him, and they delighted in my mother's society. Judge 



Williams ouce said, ' W'lu-u I .^o on the circuit, I try to 
find some young person who has never been at Northani])- 
ton ; and then I take them to Judge Lyman's, because I 
consider that a part of a liberal education.' As I remem- 
ber, — and it must always have been so, — much of the con- 
versation of my father and his friends was upon the courts 
and history of the times, and none at all upon any small or 
local gossip."' 

Mrs. Lesley pays this tine tribute to lici- niotlu'r. afti-i- 
speaking of her modest wardrobe of three gowns: " And 
oh I how handsome she was in evening dress, even when 
she had not on the 'good gown" that belonged to state 
occasions. I thought her manners then, ami 1 tliink thcin 
now, after a long review, the finest I have ever seen, 
except my father's, which were even finer, having in tliem 
the trace of a life filled with beatitudes. My mother had 
a noble presence, and what would have been called stately 
manners, had they not been so gracious, so full of friend- 
liness and sym])atliy. and sincere cordiality." 

Mrs. L. Maria Child, a cultivated and distinguished lady, 
the wife of David Lee Chihl, who lived on a farm to the 
southwest of Florence, wrote most interestingly of Mrs. 
Lynum. She was an attendant at the Unitarian church 
and a frequent visitor at the Lyman homestead. "It was 
one of my delights at that time." she said, writing to Mrs. 
Lesley, and referring to the ministi-y of John S. Dwight. 
1841, "to observe your father and innihei'. as tlu>y walked 
up the aisle of the church. They had such a goodly ])res- 
ence ! One rarely sees a ccjujjle so handsome, after they 
have ]iasseil the meridian of their life, and their liearing 
was an impersonation of unpretending dignity. Your 
mother especially was as stately in her motions as if she 
had been reared in the atmosphere of royalty." 

Rev. James Freeman Clarke of Bo.ston, who knew the 
Lyman family well, from frequent visits to it. wrote, after 
describing Northampton as " a specimen of the best kind 
of New England villages" : — " In this town of Northam])- 
ton, Mrs. Lyman was the center of a bright social activity, 



on 

The people read books, and mostly the same books, and 
they were snfficiently edm-ated to take an interest in goot] 
conversation. They did a large ])ortion of their liousehold 
work in the morning, and had leisure for a little social in- 
tercourse in the afternoon or evening. Society was not 
divided into ' sets' or ' circles," l)ut the liiimblest might feel 
at ease in the com])any of the most distinguished. In .such 
a community Mrs. Lyman was at liome. and in her trae 
sphere. Her active intellect, her joyful disposition, her 
cheerful faith, made her a radiating point of light and 
wai'mth Frank and sincere, she said just what she 
tbniight : did just what shebelieved right ; was wholly iin- 
coiiventional ; and yet all saw that she was anchored 1)y 
conscience to primal truths, and was in no danger of drift- 
ing into any dangerous extreme. She was conservative by 
education and habit, but ])rogressive by tbi' iiidependeut 
activity of jier mind."" 

Ralpli Waldo Emerson, wlio bad often visited the Lyman 
bomi^ wliiji' su]ii)lying the di'sk of the Unitarian church 
during tlir niinisJry of Rev. Mi'. Hall, wrote: — "I had not 
then, ami 1 cannot believe that I have since, seen so stately 
and naturally distinguished a ])air as Judge and Mrs. Ly- 
man. Your mother was then a (jueenly woman, nobly 
formed, in perfect health, made for society, with flowing 
conversation, high spirits, and perfectly at ease. — under- 
standing and fulfilling the duties which tlie proverbial hos- 
pitality of your house required." Visitors, distinguished 
as judges and lawyers, came and went, "but no guests 
came, or could come, I thought, who surpassed tlie dignity 
;ind the intelligence of the hosts."' 

This chapter might fittingly end here, but a few words 
m(i;c must be added. After reading these beautiful trib- 
utes to this noble coiiple. one feels almost lifted into an 
atmo.sphere l)orn of the higher life. The mind broadens. 
aiul we seem to see an<l feel something of that charming 
social lit"(' which had its center in this Lyman hotne. ra<lia- 
ting llirnugh all the surrounding regions. What a broad- 
ening and uplifting influence it was I As the wave caused 



bj' agitation of the wator neai" the shore of tlie ocean dies 
not until it reaches the opposite shore, so the ennobling 
influences that went out from this Northampton home, ever 
widening and deepening with the advancing years, will 
never cease their onward flow until they reach the eternal 
shores of time. 



EDWARD EVERETT'S PROPHECY OF HOLYOKE'S GROWTH. 

Made at a Cattle Show Diouer ill Northampton. Oct. 7, 18,52. 

"I speak from no bia.s of interest, Mr. President, when I say. that 
before the last tints of the rose of youth upon the fairest cheek in this 
assembly shall have softened into the autumnal hue of dec^lining years ; 
before the lad. whom I saw at the end of this table a moment since, 
shall have a head as grey as mine, there will be a city of fifty thousand 
inhabitants at the falls of Hadley. I hope that boy will rememlier 
what I say. and if some fifty years hence he shall stand where I stand, 
and make a speech at the anniversary of this sofi<'ty, let him say that 
he remembers how a poor (>1<1 hunker of an ex-(iovernor in IS.'Ja had 
enough of Young America in his veins to lift tlie veil which hides the 
future, far enough at least to discern the coining fortunes of Holyoke. 
Sir, as I intimated. I have no interest in the prediction. I should not 
be a dollar the poorer if the new dam veas to follow the old one down- 
stream to-morrow ; nor a farthing the richer if by the hand of a higher 
power its braces and its abutments were turned into a mass of red 
sandstone, as tirm as that which lies at the basis of Mount Holyoke. 
But I say. that the sevent}- weeks in the book of Daniel were not surer 
to be fulfilled than the prospects of the new city are to be realized. It 
was perhajis begun a little too .soon, but the population of the United 
States will soon overtake it. It must be a long start which does not 
soon vanish before the growth of a population of twenty-four millions, 
which doubles itself in twenty-five years. Such a dam, such a water- 
power, I never saw 1 " 

Population of Holyoke In ISKJO. U. S. Census. . . 45,712 

Estimated population January I, 11103, .... 48.8W 




id 



PICTURE OF THE HOOK AND LADDER COMPANY. 

I'll is picture, on the Djjposite page, is from a photograph 
taken immediately after a mus.ter of the Northampton fire 
departmeut in the fall of 1879. The apparatus, as you see, 
was gaily decorated for the occasion. The company was 
halted in King .street, east of the old town hall, whore it 
had its headquarters iu the basement. The two large elm 
trees are seen, between which were the hay-scales. The 
iron water-tank a))]iears near by. In the foreground stands 
Policeman Frederick G. Richards, in full uniform. He 
had been on duty all day and was feeling his full size. 
How firm and solid he stands I And natural as life. too. 
The driver is our well-known citizen and veteran hostler 
and liveryman, Isaac N. Taylor, and Ih^, too, looks quite life- 
like. There can be no mistaking him. In tlie center of 
the load, in the full enjoynunit of liis forty years of service 
in the fire department, apj)ears William F. Knapp. Mr. 
Knajjp was anotlier veteran fireman of the town and justly 
took great pride in his long service in that department. 
Calvin B. Kingsley, our well-known veteran soldier in tlie 
Civil war, was the foreman of the company. He stands at 
the liead of the company, next to Policeman Richards. 
Then follow, in order, from left to right, 'Jonathan Strong : 
"Orange Wright ; 'Charles C. Kellogg ; 'Spencer Cook ; 
'Luke Day : "Charles C. Clapp ; 'John Landry ; "Samuel C. 
Rose : 'Samuel B. Strong: '"Benjamin A. PIujIjis : "George 
D. Briscoll ; the last two seated on the load. 



L.of; 



CHAPTER Vlll. 

MORE FINE RESIDENCES IN THE CENTER — HOUSES OF EBENEZER HUNT, 
THEODORE STRONO. OOVERNOH STRONG, POLLY POMEKOY, JUDGE 
DEWEY. .irnOE SA.MI Kl. V. I.YMAN AND JipHN CI.AKKK — THE OLD 
CHURCH — THE OLD COIKT HOUSE AND COURT HoUSK L< IT. 

When Time, who steals our years away. 

Shall steal our pleasures too. 
The nieniVy of the past will stay, 

And half our joys renew. 

— Thomas Moiiri'. 

Almost oppcsite Judge Lyman's, on tlic corner ol' Main 
and South streets, where now are Rahar's inn and a row of 
business sliops, stood tlie liouse of Ebenezor Hunt. This 
was perhaps tlie finest hjcation for a residence in tlie town. 
High, airy, roomy, central, commanding a delightful view 
of forest, meadow and mountain, it was the ideal spot for 
a gentleman's residence in a country town. The grounds 
were more ample tlian tliosc of any other residence in the 
immediate center. einl)raciiig all the land fronting on Main 
and South streets east of the rnitai'ian church and extend- 
ing to Mill river. There was a fine apple orchard on the 
hillside, with i)ear. chei-ry, jjeach and other fruit trees on 
the upland. A noble elm tree, tall and stately, stood in 
front of the house, just outside the yard, and around the 
base of the tree was a large moTind of earth. The house 
fronted partly on South and ]jartly on Main street, mainly 
in the direction of the "old church." In the year 1849, as 
previously stated, just after the town had voted to erect a 
new town hall, this place was bought by a syndicate of 
nine citizens, so as to insure the location of the hall where 

I 00 



101 

it now stands. The house was moved to the rear of the 
lot, near the Unitarian chun-li. where it still remains, 
remodeled somewlial. but retaining some of its old-time 
apjieai-anee. The elm tree that stood in the front was one 
of the handsomest trees in tlie c:enter of tlie town. Its 
trunk was straight for thirty to forty feet below the 
bi-auelies. and it stood ont with an individuality all its 
own. a eonspicnous and pleasing feature of the village 
landscape. Mr. Hunt's garden was in the west end of his 
lot. next to the Unitarian church, where now stands the 
city hall. 

Still another beautiful residence was that of Theodore 
Strong, on the west corner of Main and Pleasant streets. 
It occupied all the land below the Clarke block and fronted 
on Pleasant sti'eet. It was a large two-story building, 
(luite as stylish in appearance as any house in town. In 
1844, Mr. Strong having died, the house was occupied by 
Dr. J. W. Smith, dentist, who had his office in it. Unlike 
the houses of Judge Lj'man and Mr. Hunt, this house was 
painted white. The place was purchased by Major Kirk- 
land about 1850 and the house moved toward Main street 
and converted into stores. It finally went the way of all 
wooden buildings on Shop Row. being consumed by fire, 
and on its site now stands tlie Lambie and Colin blocks. 
This liouse is shown in the pi(-ture of Northampton center 
on page 28. 

When the Connecticut River railroad was built in the 
forties, the house of Governor Strong, which stood facing 
Main street on land now occupied l^y the Hampshire House 
and stores to the west, was removed to Pleasant street, and 
occupied by liis son, Hon. Lewis Strong. This must have 
been a tine old homestead in its early years, when occu{)ied 
by the Governor. Much of the land occupied by the rail- 
roads for depot and tracks was a part of this homestead. 
It embraced five acres, and e.vtended from Hawley street to 
Pleasant street, and was of the same ilimensions as the 
Pomeroy homestead directly north, across the highway. 

Chi tlie opposite side of the street, under the shade of 



102 

towering elms, was the "Polly Pcjiiioroy house." iliss 
Polly, an aged maiden lady of local renown, was the 
daughter of Asahel Pomeroy, a gre.at man in his daj'. He 
kept the pi'incipal tavern in town thirty years, was select- 
man twelve yeai's, and representative in the legislature four 
years. He died in this house in ]83.3, in his eighty-fourth 
year. The house was occupied by various people in its 
later years, among them Prof. Josiah Clark, and linally, in 
1896, gave way for the present Masonic building. Previous 
to 1840 this old homestead embraced five acres of land. 




.Il'DOK CHAIU.KS A. DKWKY S HUUSE. 

On the brow of the hill, on land now occupied by Smith 
college, stood two fine residences. Where now stands Pres- 
ident Seelye's house stood the stately residence of Judge 
Charles A. D(nveJ^ and to the south was the less ]U-eten- 
tious house of Judge Samuel F. I.,yinan. Tliese were 
bought and iiiiioved to nnike room tor rollegc buildings. 
The Judge J^ewey house was removed to the rear and is 
used for a dormitory, bearing the honored name of its old- 



103 

time owner and occnjiant. The Judge Lyman house was 
removed to State street and converted into tenements. 

No one who knew Judge Dewey in the years of his prime 
will forget liis fine i)ersonal a])ii('aranco. He was a hand- 
some figure, and as he walked down town, with elastic step, 
swinging liis cane with a yjeculiarly graceful motion, greet- 
ing every one with a smile and a pleasant word, he was the 
personification of tlie old-school gentleman, of typical 
judicial l)earing. 

Another house that in its day was one of the fine.st resi- 
dences of the town was the Hunt house, which stood on 
tlie site of tlie Ham])shire County Bank. This old house, 
like all the others mentioned, succumbed to the advancing 
commercial wave, and after being occupied for stores many 
y(>ars finally disappeared by fire in" 1870. This house was 
built in 1770 by Dr. Ebenezer Hunt, son of Deacon Eben- 
ezer. and remained in possession of the Hunt families 
e.xactly one hundred years. 

The residence of John Clarke, the merchant ]n-ince and 
l)ankfi-. now forming a part of the Norwood hotel, was one 
of the choice places of the town. This, also, disappeared 
as a residence when its room was needed for more lucrative 
purposes. 

It can readily be seen from this picture of these eight 
principal residences in the very center of the town what a 
<leli,glitful rural aspect it had. All of these houses were 
owjied by men of the well-to-do class — not rich, as wealth 
is regarded in these later days, but who were possessed of 
ami)le means when measured by their limited wants and 
plain living. Nearly every house had ample grounds, with 
beautiful shade trees. The view from the principal street 
to the east and south was then less obstructed than it is 
now. What could be finer than the view from the resi- 
dences of Judge Lyman and Ebenezer Hunt before any 
liiiildings were erected in front of them ? 



104 

TIIK OI.Ii (IlUKtll THE CHARM OF THE TOWN. 

But tlie greatest charm at' tlic tnwii. and the one around 
whose incinory the old-timers most deli<<ht to linger, was 
the " Old Church." There was a tender sacredness about it 
that touched the heart of the inner man. Its ai-chitecture 
seemed ])erfect. and ])(;ople never tired of looking at it. It 
was a pleasing ohjec't to look n])on Ixjth day and night, Jind 
when the full moon shone upon its front its charms were 
lirought out with peculiar distinctness, to the special ad- 
miration of the beholdei's. If its aridiitecture was pleas- 
ing, its iiainting corresponded. It was ])aint('d white, as all 
country (diurch(>s should ])e. symbolical of purity. It was 
tiie priile of the town, and, indeed, of the peoi)le of all the 
surrounding region. The7-e it had stood for sixty-four 
years, a majestic edifice, lofty and grand, symmetrical iii 
form, beautiful in apjiearance, dedicated to ])ublic worship, 
good morals, and good government, a never-failing bene- 
diction u])on all the people. There the people had assem- 
bled year after year, when it was the only house of worship 
in the town, and it had come to be to two full generations 
a religious home, surrounded with many tender associa- 
tions. In the broad sunlight of a midsummer daj', June 
27, 1S7(). while thousands of j)eo])le gazed upon the confla- 
gration, it fell a victim to the devouring element, and was 
lost to view. Many who witnessed its destruction diil so 
with heavy hearts and tearful eyes, for an object dear to 
them was passing forever away. 

The interior of this church was like that of all the ("on- 
gregatinnal meeting-houses of its time in this region. The 
])ulpit was high, very high, almost on a level with the gal- 
leries. Winding steps led to it on either side. The sing- 
ers' seats were in the front, oj)i)osite the puljiit, and there 
was a gallery on l)oth sides. The pews were of the ohl- 
fashioned style, rather high, witli a door to each, whirh 
was opened and shut as the worshijiers ])asse<l in and out. 
There was no carjieting on the gallery floor as late as about 
18-1:0, and the tread of the late-comers there resounded 



tl _' " -- ■ wiiicii in ' - 

w _ ..I have a 

tion of seeing, and hearing, oar present CoL Joseph B. 
Pars<:>ns. then a lad ' ^ ' seven* rs. walking 

down the east gallery ,. •? year >- r the hegin- 

ning of the services. There was vigor in his step then, 
and weight, too. and the bare floor resounded with the vig- 
orous tread of his march. 

In 1S62 qnite extensive changes were made in the interior 
of thechureli. under the direction of Charles Delano and 
Marvin M. French. The pulpit was lowered several feet, 
and the pews were reduced in height and the doors re- 
moved. The letters ■■ B. iL" and "B. W.". which desig- 
nated the pew^ in the rear of the singers' seats set apart 
for the exclusive use of bJack men and black 
were removeil. and since then there has been no ex. .-- . -. 
of colored people from this or any other church in the 
town. These changes greatly improved the appearance 
and convenience of the interior. 

The organ was introduced in 1S56. This was a great 
innovation. aT ' ~ ' " " ' " - 

people made ;•• ~ - _ 

Deacon Aaron Breck and his wife, who fought it as a need- 
less aud almi^st 5;'i " _" - ■ ' " -' " They were 
finally overcome i _ _ :»?. but they 
grieved to see it introduced. 

These were the hey-days of tht- ;i on^ir. There 

were about one hundred singers. - <es one hundred 

and twenty-five. They were trained by that master of 
church music. Dr. George W. LuciJS. who had singing 
schools in nearly all the towns of this region. What a 
musical inspiration he was ! A tall man. somewhat spare, 
full of music as a sponge saturated with water, he led the 
large choir on state occasions, as a great general leads a 
victorious army. Some of the members of this choir were 
Deacon Daniel Kingsley, Silas M. Smith. William K. 
Wright. Phenix Williams. A. H. Palmer. Dr. T. W. 
Meekins, Elijah D. Clapp, Justin Smith, Munroe B. Foote, 



106 

David P.. Whitcdinl). Alvali L. Bartlett, William Stnjiig. 
Alfred J. Muiiyan. John Lawrence. In previous years 
somo of the leadinsif men of the town were members of this 
rliuir. Among them were Asahel Pomeroy, Hon. Lewis 
Strong. Deacon John P. WilHston. Levi Strong, Joseph 
Strong. Preserved Bartlett, Col. Thomas Pomeroy. Ansel 
Barilett, Capt. Jonathan P. Strong. Charles Edwards. Sam- 
nel Stebbins. Ellhu C. Hunt. Tlieodore Bartlett, and Dea- 
con Jared Clark. Also, Miss Miriam Wright. 

The leading lady singers wei-e Mrs. Charles Delano, Mrs. 
Dr. Thomas W. Meekins. Miss Julia Shepard. daughter of 
Col. George Shepard, Miss Carrie Parsons, daughter of 
Capt. Samuel Parsons and now Mi-s. J. D. Kellogg, Miss 
Emma Hubbard, now Mrs. Ciiarles E. Herricdv. Miss Sarah 
Burt, Miss Louise Smith, now Mrs. Hildreth, and Miss 
Mary Smith. 

The old-fasliioned choir had its instrumental music. 
There were skilled men with the bass viol, the violin, and 
tlic lluti'. 'I'ht' lai'ge bass viol, owned by the parish, was 
operated succ-essively by Charles Hooker. William Lavake 
and Jabez French : William K. Wright and Amos H. 
Bullen ])layed the violin : and Dr. Elisha Mather, Charles 
E. Forbes. Elisha Turner and Watson Loud ))layed the 
flute. 

Among the leaders of the choir were, at different times, 
Asahel Pomeroy, Enos Wright, Elias Mann. Levi Strong, 
Charles Porter, Asa Barr. (ieorge H. King. A. H. Palmer, 
W. B. C. Pearsons, J. L. Jenkins, Silas M. Smith, and Dr. 
T. W. Meekins. These were all able choristers, but none 
of them could equal Dr. Lucas in tlie essential elements of 
leadership. Prof. Hoadley was the first organist and was 
succeeded by Prof. George Kingsley. 

After ilii' introduction of the organ, the great chnir 
began to dwindk'. and. though the more modern music was 
more artistic and more acceptable to the younger people, 
there were many of the old-timers who felt a touch of sad- 
ness at the departure of the monster collection of singers 
with their old-fashioned church music. 



111 1850, Deacon Elii^lialet Williams presented the parish 
witli a large and elegant gas-burning chandelier, which 
was hung in the center of the audience room, and destroyed 
when the church was burned. 

Tliis church was the most spacious edifice of its class in 
the Connecticut valley. It has been said that there were 
1400 ])orsons assembled within its walls at the time of its 
dedication in ]S\'i. Cei)has Strong was the sexton for 
about thirty year.«!, beginning in the forties. 

I was present at the funeral of Senator Isaac C. Bates, 
March 22. 1845. He died at Washington on the 16th. The 
funeral was held in the old church in the afternoon, and an 
audience filling the edifice to overflowing attested the high 
esteem in which he was held by his fellow-citizens. Dan- 
iel Webster was at that time the other Massachusetts sena- 
tor, and he delivered a splendid eulogy of Mr. Bates in the 
senate. 

THK OLD C'OIKT IIOLSE. TOO. WAS .\DMIRED. 

The old court house, also, was an attractive feature of 
the town. Tlu)ngh shaded by the more pretentious "" ( )ld 
Church,'" it was nevertheless a building which possessed 
much attraction in its architectural appearance. There 
was a substantial, massive look about it that was pleasing. 
On its top was a belfry, in which hung the bell that wa.s 
regularly rung when ""the court" was seen coming down 
the street to hold a session. Surmounting the belfry was a 
weather vane, which served as an ornament to the building 
and a help to the people in forecasting the weather. In 
front was a beautiful ornamental flowering tree, which 
Scjnire Wells, the gray-hiiired clerk, himself set to adorn 
the tein])le of justice. Brown-stone steps, with iron rail- 
ings, led to its only entrance. A single stairway led to the 
court room above. Each room was provided with a fire- 
place. Around the building were set granite posts, stand- 
ing about three feet high, from which was hung from post 
to post a substantial iron chain. 



lOS 

I sliall nut linger here to recount tlie forensic efforts of 
the eminent judges and great lawyers who had lifted their 
voices in Vjchalf of justice in this tom])le. Chief Justice 
Shaw. Judge Horace Gray, Judge Julius liockwell. Judge 
Charles A. Dewey, Judge William Allen, Judge George N. 
Briggs. and many others, had held court there : and in its 
forum had ai>))i'ai'ed Daniel Webster, Rufus Choate, E. 
Rockwood Hoar, Lewis Strong, Charles E. Forbes, Samuel 
Howe, Charles P. Huntington. George Ashmun, William 
G. Bates. George T. Davis. Osmyn Baker, George M. 
Stearns. Edward Dickinson, George D. Rol)inson. Ciiarles 
Delano, Samuel T. Spaulding, Edward B. Gillett. and a 
host of others, less distinguished, but not less gifted. 

The dimensions of th(> old court house were 45 by (j8 feet. 
The interior arrangement was this : On the lower fioor the 
office of the re.gister of deeds was the first room on the 
right of the entrance, the easterly corner, and for several 
years previous to I So!) it was used for the court of insol- 
vency : the iillice of the clerk of courts came next, on the 
right : the ])rol)ate t)ffice was next, and in the rear, in the 
northeasterly corner, was the grand jury room : west of 
the grand jury mom. in the northwesterly corner, was a 
small room used for witnesses. This arrangement con- 
tinued from ]i>'i'.], when the building was erected, until 
186-i, when the register of deeds" office was given up to the 
use of the clerk of courts and the law library', being con- 
nected with his office by an arched doorway ; this room was 
also used by the county commissioners. An office for the 
register of deeds was made in 1850 on the west side of the 
building, that space until then having been left o])en. The 
stairway to the court-room was in the southwesterly corner. 
The court-room above was a spacious room, with a station- 
ary wooden clock. There was a gallery in the front and a 
room on eacli side in the rear for the accommodation of the 
jurors, heated by stoves. The door was in the center of 
the building, and the dock stood in the center of the room, 
op])osite the door. On either side of tlie dock was a seat 
for deputy sheriffs, one of which was for more than forty 



109 

years occupied by Ansel Wright, Senior, or liis sons, George 
F. Wright and Ansel Wright. Jr. Tlie other deputy 
sheriffs most in attendance were S. W. Longley of Belcher- 
towu, Samuel H. Phelps of Ware, Leonard Campbell of 
Plainfield, George B. Gallond of Amherst, and Samuel N. 
Miller of South Hadley. 

There were three rows of seats for the jurors, instead of 
two as now. and their seats were on a platform, about 
a foot high. There was no witness stand, and the wit- 
nesses stood at the end of the bar in front of the judges, 
one hand generally resting on this bar, which had a curved 
end. Under the gallery wei-e seats, or benches, two run- 
ning west to east, and three running .south to north, ex- 
tending up so as to cover two of the windows. The door 
to the cellar was in the southwesterly corner, under the 
stairway leading to the court-room. There were no water 
closets at first, but these were put in after the water-works 
were built in 1871. 

When the old court house was torn down in 1886, all of 
the furniture in it was removed to the jail, in the expecta- 
tion that some of it might be iised in the new building, 
but little of it ever came back. 

The grading of the court house grounds after the erection 
of the new building, was done by Flavel Gaylord of Am- 
herst, one of the county commissioners, who brought over 
his yoke of oxen to do the work and drove them himself. 

There was no basement or cellar when the building was 
erected, but when furnaces were put in an excavation was 
made sufficiently large to accommodate the two heaters 
and for the storage of coal and some old records. 

For thirty years William E. Partridge was the mosssenger 
in this old court house, and was succeedcil in 187-.^. liy Ed- 
win T. Hervey, the present official. Mr. Partridge was 
also during a part of his court house service, watchman for 
tlie banks. He is now living with his .son in Holyoke, in 
his eighty-seventh year. 



no 



THE COURT SESSIONS. 



lu the old days the sessions of the courts were made 
more of than they are in these later times. Many of the 
lawyers came here from other counties and remained a long 
time awaiting their turn to try their cases. They could 
not return home at night, as they can now. Usually they 
stopjiod at the Mansion House, where tlio Catholic church 
now stands, kept l)y Capt, Jonathan BrewstiM-. The even- 
ings were spent together at the hotel, or by invitation at 
the home of one of the local lawyers. It was an interest- 
ing sight to see the judges and the lawyers, each with his 
green bag containing the j)apers relating to the cases he 
had for trial, headed by the high shei-iff, with his long staff 
of ollice, and cockade on his hat. wending their way down 
to the coui-t house. When the procession was in sight, the 
court hous(> bell was rung. This was the signal for a gen- 
eral drift toward the old temple of justice, and from every 
direction jurors, deputy sheriffs, witnesses, and spectators 
were si^en wending their way thitherward. This procession 
of judges and lawyers with its attending features gave a 
dignity to the court sittings wliicli is lacking in these mod- 
ern times. 

THE COURT linUSE I.OT. 

That portion of the land which forms the central jmrt of 
the court house lot was given to the county in 1767 by iifty- 
eight citizens of Northampton and one citizen of Hatfield, 
It was jnii'chased of Elisha Alvord, a shop-keeper, whose 
house and barn stood on the lot. There was a movement 
ill jirogress to eret^t a new cuiirt house. It was proposed to 
locate it in the little jiark which lies in front of Smith col- 
lege, and the work of building was begun thcT'e, when this 
gift of land secured its erection where the court house now 
stands. The price paid for the land was 130 pounds, equal 
to $1)50. The donors were Ebenezer Hunt, Timothy 
Dwiglit. dr., Seth Pomeroy, Caleb Strong, Solomon Stod- 
dard, Samuel Clarke, E[iliraim Wright, William Lyman, 



Ill 

Seth Lyman, John King, Samuel Parsons, Jonathan Alliu, 
Selah Wright, Jose]ih Allen, Joseph Cook, Joseph Lyman, 
Benjamin Shehlon. Jr., Quartus Pomeroy, Elisha Lyman. 
Gideon Cooke, George Hodge, Hezekiali Rnssell, Tliomas 
Bridgmnn. Asahel Chipp. Setli Clap]). Elijah Southwell, 
Abncr Barnard, Aaron Wright, Daniel Hitchcock, William 
Mather, Eliphaz Clapp, Levi Sliepard, Eliphaz Strong, El- 
nathan Wright, Joseph Parsons, Simeon Parsons, Hains 
Kingsley, Aaron Kingsley, Timothy Parsons, Enos Kings- 
ley, Asa Wright, Josiah Parsons, Jr., Titus King, Oliver 
Lyman, Elihu Lj-man, Elkanah Burt, Ebenezer Clapp, 
Elihu Clark, Pliny Pomeroy, Abijah Wait, John Parsons, 
Jr., Simeon Clapp, Joseph Clapp. Joseph Hutchins. Lem- 
uel Lyman, David Lyman, Elias Lyman, Jr., Asahel 
Danks, all of Northampton, and Samuel Fairfield of Hat- 
field. The latter donor was Ca])t. Samuel Fairfield, who 
kept a tavern on the road to Williamsburg and the west, a 
little this side of Haydenville, then within the limits of 
Hatfield. 

The deed conveys the land to the county " for the public 
use of erecting a court house thereon, for the sole use and 
benefit of the inhabitants of the county of Hampshire, 
* * * being the lot whereon I now dwell, * * * fQj. 
the purpose of a green or common, and for the erection of 
a court house, t)r court houses, thereon, as shall be ordered 
by the people," * * * ^ud whenever the courts shall be 
moved to some other town or place, "then the same shall 
be and remain as an open, uniuclosed common, for the use 
and benefit of the inhabitants of the town of Northampton, 
in succession forever, for erecting any meeting-house for 
public worship, or town liouse for town affairs or meetings, 
and for no other purpose whatsoever." 

The land thus conveyed comju'ised about one-half of the 
present court house lot, and was" not deemed of sufficient 
size by the court, which ordered the condemnation of an 
irregular strip com])letcly sui-rounding the Alvord lot. A 
court house was then erected on the westerly side of the 
lot. The old court house, which was then superceded, 



Il3 

stood on tlie easterly line of tlie condemned land, and 
farther down. The new court house stood until IS'i'i, when 
it was destroyed by fire. A new couit house, the one shown 
in the frontispiece, was then erected, and that stood until 
1880, when it was torn down to make way for tlie present 
stone edifice. The deed of the Aivord lot was placed on 
record in the registry of deeds in S[)ringf5eld, and with the 
lapse of time all memory of it disapjteared. The town had 




>U».Till« itCUSt. 



PLAN l)K COrUT IlorSE I,()T. 1707. 

erected a town hall nn the hit an<l apparently considered 
itself a joint owner. Until 1814 the town meetings were 
held in the court house. In that year a town hall was 
erected. It stood sixty feet east of the court house, on a 
line with the court house and me(4ing house, was of brick, 
00 by 30 feet. It was built by contract with Capt. Isaac 
Damon, and cost 83,500. 

When tiie tire which destroyed the olil cluucli and the 
roof of the Whitney building in 18?0 was in pii)gress_. fears 



113 

Were entertained that the cmut house was in danger, and 
the work of removing tlie i)ai)ers of valne stored in unsafe 
places was begun. In rephicing them some of the packa- 
ges became broken and the papers were scattered. The 
court messenger, E. T. Hervey, in examining these loose 
l)a])ers. discovei'ed the original deed of tlie Alvord lot and 
called the attention of the county commissioners to it. 
Col. Edwards, the then chairman of the board, had it 
placed on the records of this county. Soon afterward the 
old town liall was removed, the present court house was 
erected and the lot graded to its present shape. 

A plan of the court house lot, showing the Alvord lot, 
and the land taken by condemnation, is on the county 
records in the office of the registry of deeds. 

The accompanying cut (p. 112) is a copy of this plan. In 
the center is seen the Alvord lot convej'ed to the county by 
citizens of the town in 1707. The outside lines describe 
the boundary of the land taken at that time by order of 
the court. It was an irregular shaped lot, made so. proba- 
bly, by the peculiar fi^i-ination of the land, there being 
then a deep gully or ravine at the foot of the hill, i-unning 
from the King street bi-ook across Main street, to the rear 
of Shop Row, and connecting witii Mill river. No one 
seems to know how the court house lot came to be in its 
present nearly square shape. There is no record of any 
further accession of land, by order of the court or other- 
wise, and it is probable that the county commissioners, in 
enclosing the lot, made it more shapely by leaving a por- 
tion in the highway at the northerly corner and taking an 
ecjual amount at other points, where it would not interfere 
with the public travel (at the easterly corner), by agree- 
ment witli the selectmen of Northampton. The tree shown 
in the southwesterly corner of the Alvord lot is described 
in the deed as a "young cottonwood tree in the corner of 
said house-lot," and was the starting point in describing 
the boundaries of the lot. The old court house (1737) 
stood about where the present sidewalk is along Main St. 



J"^'^ 



/ ■ 



.#* 



f* 






4Pi 








K K u u B I S 



n „C I" 






WARNEK TAVERN — 1704- -1870. 

The Warner House, shown in tlie above picture, stood on 
the site of the j)reseiit Mansion House. It was built in 
li'94 by Asahel Pomeroy. It was known as " Warner's 
Coffee House," when kept by Oliver Warner. It stood on 
a site that has been occupied for a tavern from the eai'ly 
settlement of the town. Col. Seth Pomeroy kei>t a tavern 
there one hundred and forty years ago, and his son, Asahel 
Pomeroy, succeeded him. Both w-ere distinguished men. 
This old Warner tavern was for many years the principal 
public house in the town. As .shown in the picture, there 
was a piazza in front covering two stories. In front of the 
center of the house there was a large elm tree, from which 
was hung a large lamp for lighting at night. A driveway 
to the barns in the rear was at tiie easterly end of the tav- 
ern. To the left were a. small wooden building. use<i I'or a 
store, and the Lyman block, owned hy Judge Joseph Ly- 
man and used for various pur])oses. The (Jazette otlice 
was for a long time previous to 1853 in the second story, 
and Amos H. Bullen. Lewis Mclntyro, Orrin Kingsley, 

1 I 4 



115 

the Ferry Brothers (Lemuel C. and Sydenham N.). and 
Clark & Parsons, drugi^ists, were successively occupants of 
the lower Hoor. On July 18, 1870, one of the most de- 
structive fires that ever occurred in Northampton, destroyed 
this old Warner tavern, togetlier with the Todd hlock on 
tlie east and the Lyman block and Judge Lyman house on 
the west. After the Warner House was destroyed by fire, 
the Fitch Brothers of Hatfield (John T. and George C.) 
bought the pi'operty and erected the present Mansion 
House. 

Li the picture, the signs, " Warner House," cover more 
than the tavern proper. This was because portions of the 
second and third stories f)f the side buildings were used for 
tavern sleeping rooms. The original tavern building was 
that part of the picture covered by the piazza. 

At the time of its destruction by fire, the Judge Lyman 
house was occupied by Levi M<n-ton, restaurant-keeper, 
Joseph C. Williams, coal dealer, E. N. Sampson & Son. 
grocers and fish and vegetable dealers, and L. D. ^b'rrill 
and Patrick Dewey, saloon-keepers. 

Some further particulars of these old buildings are given 
on page 46. 



A VETERAN PRINTER. 

There were some veteran printers in the olden times, 
among them John and Lyman Metcalf and Joseph C. 
Kneeland, l)ut none of them surpassed cmr veteran printer 
of to-day, Anilrew P. Hancock, of the Gazette Printing 
Company. For thirty-two years he has remained in one 
jdacc in that ijffice. where he learned his trade. Summer 
and winter liave found liim at his post. He set every type 
in the two volumes of Trumbull's History of Northamp- 
ton. V-Vi7 pages, and lie set every type in this t)0()k of Rem- 
iniscences. And yet, his eye is not dimmed nor his natural 
force abated. 



CHAPTER IX. 

CATTLK SHOW DINNERS— KKA 1, KSTATE VALUES — .IKNNY UND lOSIES TO 
TOWN — IHANGES ON SHOP HOW — SOCIETY FOll DETECTION OF THIEVES 
AND ROBBERS — OBSERVANCE OF SUNDAY — THE OLD CHURCH AND 
COURT HOUSE WEATHER VANES— AN OLD STORY' EXPLODED— WATER- 
ING PLACES — SNUI'K-TAKING— THE COURT STOPPED A NOISE — OLD 
SAVINGS BANK STARTED — SETH PARSONS — JUDGE HODOES — LAWYER 
CHILSON — RINGING OF DEPOT BELI. — SEWING SOCIETIES. 

Oil. would I were fi boy again, 

When life sei'iiicd foniiiMi of Bunny y<'ars. 

Ami all till' heart tiien Itnow of pain 
Was swept away in transit^ut tears! 

—Mark Lemon. 

CATTLE SHOW DINNERS. 

Great attention was paid in the years around ISoO to the 
cattle show dinners. Tlie sliows were lield, as now, on two 
days, and in the afternoon of the second day there was a 
grand dinner given in " Agricultural hall "" in Kirklands 
block on Pleasant street, where about two hundred gentle- 
men and ladies assembled. There was usually some dis- 
tinguished orator from abroad to lend the charm of his 
eloquence to the occasion. In 1852 Edward Everett was 
the iirinciiial s]i('aker. and he then and there made the jire- 
diction that in lifty years from that time Holyoke would 
have a population of 50,000 iiilialiitants. The present year 
completes the fifty years, and it will almost see the lit- 
eral fultilment of the ex-Governor's jn-ophecy. The writer 
was present at this dinner and heard Governor Everett's 
speech. The Governor was a fiiu> looking man. with gray 



117 

luiii'. a well built fit^ure. and spoko with that <i:raco and caso 
of which he was the pt'i-fcct master. William O. Gorham. 
a lawyer and a seliolarlx man, was the secretary of the 
society, ami was the leader in these after-dinner exercises. 
He made thorough ])re|>aration for liis part of the literary 
feast and was often lieard reliearsing in liis office his forth- 
coming remarks. He had a fine gift of oratory, and was 
especially successful on the.se forensic occasions. Agricul- 
tural hall took its name from these agricultural dinners. 
Governor Everett's prophecy is given in full on page 07. 

REAL ESTATE VALL'ES. 

A noticeable feature of the business life of the town has 
been the advance of the value of real estate in the central 
section, especially of that portion devoted to business pur- 
poses. I have seen these values doubled, and then doubled 
again, and even then leaving a safe margin for a further 
advance. The increase has been slow, but steady, more 
l>frliaps in the last twenty-five years than l)efore. When I 
puidished the Courier in tlu^ Whitney building fifty years 
ago I could have bought that pi-ojjerty for 6^800. When 
the church was burned in 1870, the roof of the Whitney 
building was destroyed by fire, and ]\Ir. Eames, besides 
getting his insurance on the building, sold the land to the 
savings bank for SGOOO. This is about the way real estate 
values have gone all through the center. While investors 
have been seeking large profits in Western real estate, they 
have overlooked the safer and not less valuable opportuni- 
ties that were open to them here. 

JENNY LIND COMES TO TOWN. 

One of the famous visitors to Northampton was the dis- 
tinguished "Swedish Nightingale,"' Jenny Lind. E.x- 
Presidents, Governors, Senators, a distinguished exile from 
a foreign land, and other notables had come and been hon- 
ored by the jieople of the town, but none of them made 
such a lasting impression n])on the people, or left more 



118 

pleasant memories, than the sweet siuj^er from Sweden. 
I remember her coming well. She was married to Otto 
Goldsclunidt at Boston, Feb. 5, 1S53, and i-ame directly to 
Xorthampton. I was on the train which brought them 
here from Springfield and sat "two or three seats behind 
them. It was known on the train that they had just been 
married, thongli the event was a surprise to the public. 
They went at once to Round Hill, wiicre they remained 
four months. Her marriage did not change her name with 
the public-, and slie was known as Jenny Lind after her 
marriage as much as before. She gav'e two concerts here, 
one in the old church July 3. 1851, before her marriage, 
and the other in the town hall in May, ISo'i, at the close of 
her honeymoon residence here. Those were memorable 
occasions. Jenny Lind's fame was then at its zenith and 
her praises were on all Hjjs. The concert in the old church 
was unquestionably the greatest musical event in the his- 
tory of the town. Peo])le of distinction came from far and 
near and the cliunii was ])acked to its utmost capacity. 
A large j)latform was built around llii' ])ulpit and an 
entrance was made through a wnndow on the Gothic street 
corner. Just before the hour of the concert a terrible 
thunder and rain storm came u]). which would have almost 
ruined any other gathering, but it had no effect upon this 
one. This concert was a great success, musically and finan- 
cially, and so was the later one in the town hall. The 
echoes of her sweet singing of the "Bird Song." "Sweet 
Home." and ■"('oining through the Rye," are still heai-il in 
nu'inoi'y, after the lapse of half a century, by those who 
were so fortunate as to be within the charm of her wonder- 
ful voice. 

CHANGES ON SHOP ROW. 

Most of the merchants doing business on Sho]i Row have 
changed often. In the last sixteen years there have been 
great changes. Of the twenty-eight individuals and firms 
doing business there in 1886, only four are there now just 
as they wei'i' then. The others have disappeared entirely. 



no 

or have made changes in their tirnis, but retaining one of 
the ohl niemhei's. Of those; who were tliere in an 3^ (■aj)acity 
in IXiri. only one is there now. That one is the veteran 
hnokscUer. Sidney E. Bridginan, who came as a boy to 
Hiitler's bookstore in A])rii. 1S44, tifty-eiglit years ago. 
Merritt Clark, the clothier, came in 1846, as an apprentice 
to Charles Smith, and he is there yet. The same year came 
William H. Todd, who became a clerk in the store of 
Luther I. Washburn. Closely following him came Oscar 
Edwards, the white-haired president of the Northampton 
bank, who came here from the summit of Chesterfield hill 
in ISo'i and began business as druggist and grocer in com- 
pany with John W. Wilson in the store now occupied by 
L. S. Davis. All others now on the Row are comparatively 
new-comers, though some of them have been here many 
years. It requires a half-century mau to count for much 
in these reminiscences. Men come and go — death removes 
some, others are removed by financial distress, bait the 
stores remain, and will remain, through the coming gener- 
ations. Here are four of our business men, who have been 
here a half-century, and are still living, and three of them 
may yet be found "at the old stand." 

THIEF AND ROBBER SOCIETY. 

A peculiar organization was that of the " Society for the 
detection of thieves and robbers." This society was formed 
in 1782 and was continued until about 1850 or 1860, when it 
ceased to exist by the voluntary action of the members. It 
was an organization of business men of the town, and had 
a clerk, treasurer, board of seven directors, and twelve 
•• jjursuers." It protected only the property of its mem- 
bers, each of whom paid $2 to join the organization. In 
its early years it was of much assistance in running down 
thieves and robljers, but as the })olice force of the town 
became more efficient its mission departed and there was no 
further use for its existence. Its membership in 1844 em- 
braced — Augustus Clarke, clerk ; John Clarke, treasurer ; 



120 

Samuel F. Lymaii. .J. H. Butlci-. Bciijaniiii E. Cook. 
Winthro]) Hillyor. Harvey Kirkland. Oliver Warner, 
George Sliopanl. directors : and Cornelius Delano. Asaliel 
Wood, Hiratn Ferry, Samuel Parsons. Ansel Wright. Lewis 
Bliss, Christopher Wright, William W. Partridge. Edwin 
Holdridge. David Damon. Willard A. Arudld. Jonathan 
A. Clark, jnirsuers. 

OBSKKVANCE OF SUNDAY. 

One of the most marked changes in the customs of peo- 
ple in the last sixty years is seen in the observance of Sun- 
day. In the olden times, Sunday was regarded not merely 
as a day of rest, but as a day for public worship. Every 
person so situated as to be able to attend church service 
was expected to be in the meeting-house, both forenoon 
and afternoon. To be walking or riding for pleasure wa.s 
deemed to be a de-secration of the day. Reading the bible 
was always in order on that day, and the reading of other 
books and so.'cular })ai)ers was not considered proper. There 
was a rigidity in the prescribed manner of observing the 
day that was especially distasteful to young people. When 
a boy, I was always glad to have Sunday pass. I was 
brought u]) in the strict manner of those times. Going to 
the Sunday and evcMiing meetings was the regular and 
invariable practice. When a boy under ten years of age, 
while living on the farm on the hillside near Searsville, in 
"Williamsburg, it was the privilege of myself and brothers 
to go fishing on Saturdays, when school did not keep. Our 
mother was very strict in her religious training of her boys. 
One Saturday, when our minds were absorbed with the 
anticipated pleasures of the day's fishing, we were required 
to learn several verses of the bible before we started for the 
Meekins brook. We were in no mood for that tjisk, and 
we stoutly rebelled. But it was of no use to resist. It was 
bible learning, or no fishing, and squirm and twist as we 
did, we had to learn the prescribed portion of the sacred 
scriptures before we could leave the house to dig liait. 



121 

When I came to Northfimpton I dreaded the Sundays. 
Tlioy were days of restraint. I liad always attended the 
Methodist meetings in Williamsburg. The Methodist 
chnrch in that ])lace was then very flourishing. The house 
was lilled on Sundays. Among the congregation were the 
families of Joel and Josiah Hayden, Hiram Nash, Stephen 
Meekins. Ludo Thayer. Thomas Ives, Prescott Williams, 
Jiihn Williams, Quartus Kingsley, Chester Sheldon, Moses 
Ferry, Marcus Way, Mather Warren, Pliny Warren, Will- 
iam Loomis. John Miller, Reuben Luce, R. H. Fairchild, 
Luther Loomis, Pardon Bradford, Moses Hannum. Rev. 
David Mason, an Englishman, who had charge of the broad- 
cloth factory at the upper end of the village, used to 
preach occasionally. He had a familiar, persuasive way of 
talking to his hearers, and would lean iipon one elbow, 
bending over toward the audience, when he made .some 
special pleading of an imjjressive nature. 

This is to show the degree of attention paid to religious 
matters in those times. It is different now. Sunday is 
now regarded more as a day of rest, of relaxation from 
lalior. of recreation, than as sacred time. Labor ceases, 
but the pursuit of pleasure goes on. The steam and elec- 
tric cars run, and are crowded. The livery stables find 
tliat Sunday is their most profitable day. People stroll the 
fields and games of base bail are sometimes played in by- 
places. The attendance at the churches is much less in 
Itrojjortion to the population than it was in the olden times. 

Is there less respect for religion now than formerly 'i I 
think not. The ciiange has come in the interpretation and 
perception of sacred things. There is just as much regard 
for the things that are honest, and true, and good, now, as 
there was in the former times. There is more intelligence 
among the masses of people — people read more, think 
more, with a broader range, because of the larger opportu- 
nities they have of obtaining information. To believe 
otherwise, is to admit that our libraries, and institutions of 
learning, and varied and enlarged literature, are a failure. 



122 



THK METHODISTS IN THK TOWN UALI.. 

The tirst tVw years of my residence in Noitlianiiiiou 1 
attended tlir Siniday services held in tlie okl town hall by 
the Methodists. Tlie congivgation was small and the 
society financially weak. Tlieic was a clioir in the lun-th- 
easterly corner of the hall, and William Lavake, an (dd 
shoemaker, wjio lived on upper King street, played the bass 
viol, an instrument as tall as he was. 

THK WKATllKi; V.XNES. 

(>iH' "( the (•Id-tinie familiar features of the town, whicli 
has disajfpi'ared with the jiassing years, were the weather 
vanes on the steeple of the old churtdi and the tower of the 
old court house. Those vanes were very useful to the vil- 
lagers, and were watched with an interest exceeded only by 
that which centered in the town clock in the old church 
tower. They remained there until those buildings were 
destroyed. The vane on the church came down with the 
steeple when the house was burned, anil was saved, though 
in a ruined condition. It is still held as a relic of the old 
temple, and is safely stored in the museum at Memorial 
Hall. The staff stood nine feet high, and the gilded vane, 
pointed and s])lit at the end. was five feet in length. The 
letters N, S, E and W, denoting tlie points of the compass, 
had a spread of nearly six feet. The gilded ball at the top 
was eight inches in diameter, and was perched one hundred 
and sixty-live feet above the ground. 

The courtdiouse vane was smallei' than the vane on the 
(diurch stee})le. When the court house was taken down. 
Dr. Roberts wanted the vane to put up on his barn and 
thus ]ireserve it as a relic, and Col. Edwards, then on tlie 
board of county commissioners, agreed to let him have it, 
but he nevei- obtained it, and the last seen of it was when 
it passed np Bridge street on the way to Amherst. 



123 



AN OI.I) STORY EXPLODED. 



Nortli;nii|itiiii has Iuhmi called a " sleepy town " by peo- 
])](> who have not understood her people. The remark has 
often lieeii made, to sui)])<>rt the .story of sleepiness, that 
the layout of the I'ailroad from Boston to Albany was first 
made throng'h Xorthamiiton. and that the road was driven 
away by the hostility of the people of the town toward it. 
This is not true. I liave never been able to find any evi- 
dence to support it — not the least. The route was laid 
where the road was built, because that was the natural 
place for it. There is no route that would take in North- 
ampton that would be at all practicable. The road must, 
of necessity, pass through Worcester, (the line to that city 
was built by the Boston and Worcester company) and to 
pass through Northampton and cross the mountains to 
Pittsfield. by way of Hinsdale, (the only place where it 
could cross), would require a long detour and involve a 
large additional cost. As this story has long been on its 
travels, and occasionally breaks out when some one wishes 
to give the town a blow, it is hei-e stated, and the statement 
is reiterated, that there is no ti-uth in it. The town has 
always welcomed, the railroads. It took a lively interest in 
the building of the Connecticut River road and the New 
Haven and Northami)ton road, and subscribed foi- .'iOO.OOO 
shares of the stock of the Massachusetts Central roail. All 
thi.s. after sinking si.50,000 in the canal to New Haven. 
Instead of the town having been a "sleepy" place, it has 
been exceptionally wide-awake and progressive, so far as 
regards the canal and the railroads. 

WATEKINO PLACES— THE LICKINGWATER CROSSING. 

In ISKi. and for about twenty years later, there was a 
driveway through Mill river just below the old South street 
bridge. There was a gentle slope of the land on either side 
of the river, so that teams could easily cross. On the 
southerly side there was a considerable depression of the 



124 

laml. exteiidint,' tlirougli the center of the little park in 
front of the Parsons honse, which was filled in and graded 
to its present sha})e ahont twenty years ago. A road ran 
on the easterly side of this park, east of tlie large elm tree, 
connecting South and Maple streets, which was closed 
when the ravine was tilled. This Lickingwater crossing 
was ranch nsed. It was in use from the earliest settlement 
of the town. It was known as the "■ Lickingwater" cross- 
ing, and was the principal place for watering horses and 
oxen in the center of the town. There was a water-trongh 
near tln' dM low n hall, sujiplied from a reservoir on Pros- 
pect street, where the residence of A. McCallum now 
stands. This water supply was a private atl'aii' and was 
not relial)le. There was another water-trough at the foot 
of Fort hill, supplied from a spring. This was nicely 
shaded by trees. Ancjthor watering place was in the river 
at " Welch End," below the bridge. Aside from these four 
public places, there were no others in the center where 
horses could l)e watered. The "Lickingwater" crossing 
was not much used after the railroad to New Haven was 
built in 18.")."), and was closed to the public when the dike 
was built in 18.57. 

SNTFF-TAKINU. 

The use of snufi" was common sixty years ago. Loril- 
lard"s snuff was as famous as Day & Martin's blacking, 
and large c|uantities of it were sold at thr stores. The 
women were gi'eat snuft'-takers. Each woman carried a 
suufT-box, and it was passed around freely on visiting 
occasions. The custom gradually disap])eared. until thirty 
to forty years ago a snud'-taker was rarely seen. Dr. Dan- 
iel Thompson kept up the practice to the time of his death, 
but only in a genteel way. He carried a small silver snutl'- 
box in his vest pocket, and only occasionally took a small 
])inch, from force of habit more than for any other reason. 



THE COURT STOPS THE NOISY TINNERS. 

One summer day, in the fifties, when court was being 
held in the old court ht)use, and W. A. Arnold had a tin- 
shop in the Whitney bnildiny. tjie jixdge was annoyed 
by the almost constant hammering of the tinners. He 
sent an officer to notify Mr. Arnold to have the noise 
stopped. Mr. Arnold thought that that was an unwar- 
ranted interference with his business, and paid no attention 
to the order. The judge then sent an officer to bring Mr. 
Arnold into court. He was told that the court had the 
right of way ami that he must have the noise stopped or 
be held I'or contemiit of court. The uoise soon (teased. 

FIRST SAVINGS HANK. 

It was in 1842 that the Northampton Institution for Sav- 
ings was started. Then> had been no savings bank in the 
town, and Mr. J. H. Butler first conceived the idea of 
starting one. There was one in Hartford, which was quite 
successful. Mr. Butler thought one would do well here. 
Dr. Benjamin Barrett was the first treasurer. The deposits 
at the end of the first year were S349. The office was in .a 
second-floor room on Pleasant street. I saw Dr. Barrett in 
his office. It was said that he (tarried the funds with him 
in his hat for awliile. He little dreamed that in a little 
more than fifty years the bank would have deposits and 
surplus exceeding four and a quarter million dollars. 

SETH PARSONS. 

A familiar character al)ont town was Seth Paisons, the 
cripple. He was a simple-minded man, and made his liv- 
ing by selling candy and popcorn, stationing himself for 
that purpose near the entrance to the i)ost-office. He would 
make a rhyme for every jjcrson who bought of him. His 
rhymes were flimsy affairs, without special significance. 
He passed away about 1850. 



12C 

II. I. HODCJES AXIi II. II. til II. SON'. 

A mail oftoii seen iu and about tbo court house in the 
years from 1848 to 18(;3 was Horace I. Hodges. He was a 
lawyer— a man of quiet demeanoi-. a pleasant, genial gen- 
tleman, and cxei'ted mneh influence in town and county 
affairs. He lield various offices, was a trial justice, county 
commissioner, and judge of the court of insolvency during 
th(! few years of its e.xistence. In ISG.'J he entered the 
United States army and died in tlie service. The office 
of the court of insolvency was in the front easterly corner, 
which had previously been u.sed Ijy Major Harvey Kirk- 
land, register of deeds. 

Another lawyer in town was Haynes H. Chilson. He 
enjoyed the distinction of being for many years the only 
Democratic lawyer in town. He had an office over Fowle's 
jewelry store, and was a prominent member of the school 
board and at times its chairman. He was elected a county 
commissioner (111 a fusion ticket, with Deacon Joseph Cum- 
inings of Ware, Whig, and Joel Hayden of Williamsburg, 
Free Soil. He also held the office of trial justice, was 
assessor of internal revenue in the war times, and post- 
master under Buchanan. Previous to settling in North- 
ampton, and while a student in college, he taught a select 
school in Willianisbui\g. rounding up his exjierience there 
with an exhibition of the forensic, dramatic and musical 
aViilities of his ])U)iils in tlic dancing liall of Gross 
Williams's tavern. 



RINGINCi OF TlIK, DKI'OT BKI.L. 

A custom that seems tjueer in the light of tlie present 
times was the ringing of the depot bell fifteen minutes be- 
fore the starting of a train. This was the i'(>gular jiractice 
at the de])ot in tliis town, beginning with the oi)ening of 

the roail, and it was continued until a new dejiot was built. 



THE OLD-FASHIONED SEWING SOCIETIES. 

In these modern clays little is heard or seen of the old- 
fcxshioned " sewing societies," but they were in full swing 
here along in the forties and fifties. The Old Church sew- 
ing society T)ecame known about tliat time as the "Dorcas 
Society," but the common name for them was the " sewing 
society." They were promoters of sociability quite as 
much as of clothing for destitute missionaries. Their fort- 
nightly meetings were occasions of much importance. 
They met at the houses of the more prosperous people. 
That was from necessity, as there was no such thing as a 
church parlor or a church kitchen. The Old Churcli Dor- 
cas society often met at the house of Capt. Samuel Parsons, 
where it was sure to have a royal good time. That house 
was long noted for its generous hosi)ita]ity and good cheer. 
The ladies came in the afternoon, and just before tea- 
time the "men-folks" appeared in large force. In 
the old days tlie church vestry had poor accommoda- 
tions. The Old Church had a vestry in the basement of 
the present Gazette office, a damp and gloomy place. In 
1S5G the parish sold its vestry to J. P. Williston for S800, 
and it was afterward sold to the Center school district, 
which used it for its two primary schools about ten years, 
when it was sold to Trumbull & Gere for a printing ofifice. 
A wooden chapel was erected in 18.50, Mr. Williston con- 
tributing largelj' for that purpose. When tlie new church 
was erected, in 1876-7, with its chapel and church parlors, 
the wooden chapel was sold to Dr. Poiter Underwood of 
Holyoke. who moved it to Center street and encased it with 
a brick wall, to comply willi iju- n'(|uirement of the town. 
The church parlors and kitclieu \ver(^ looked upon by some 
people as doubtful aids to the church work. Should the 
people of fifty to seventy-five years ago reappear here now 
they would be amazed at the change wiiich has come with 
the introduction of the churcli parlor and the churcli 
kitchen. But they could not deny that the change has 
been for the better, as it has tended greatly to develop the 
social element among bpth old and young. 




KINtiSLEV lH.iUSE. SuUTli STREET. 



This old house was torn dowti in 1900, to make way for 
the uew boulevard road. The house stood almost iu the 
center of that road, nearly opposite the Oliver Bridgman 
house. It was more than one hundred years old : was 
owned and occupied by Enos Kingsley in the latter part of 
the eighteenth century, and in its later years was owned 
by Deacon Daniel Kingsley and occu])ied by his brother. 
Prof. George Kingsley, the music teacher and organist. 
After the death of Deacon Kingsley the house was sold to 
George S. Hunt, and his widow lived there when the place 
was bought by the city f(;r higliwiiy uses. The style of the 
house, willi tlie ■■Jean-tii" in tlir rrar. was like tliat of the 
Edwin Kingsley house on Alain street, shown in the ])icture 
on page 55. The white house seen in the rear was the 
Oliver Bridgman house, then fronting on Clark avenue and 
now fronting on the new Soutii street. To the left of the 
Kingsley house are seen the two old brick school houses iu 
the South Street North district, one on each side of School 
street. 



C'HAl^TER X. 

BUSINESS OUTSIDE THK CENTEU — SHOP HOW OF OLDKN TIMES — THREE 
OLD STORES — PEWS FOR COLORED PEOPLE — INCREASE OF READINO 
MATTER— PASSING OF THE FARMER — MONEY SAFE IN THE HOUSES- 
OWNERSHIP OF PEWS — FIRST ATLANTIC CABLE LAID — GREAT TROUT 
FISHING — TO SPRINGFIELD AROUND THE OXBOW — NO ICE BUSINESS. 
COAL BUSINESS, OR CULTIVATED STRAWBERRIES — OLD-TIMES CUSTOM 
OP CARRYING THE WHIP — THE MILITARY — OSCAR EDWARDS ELECTED 
COUNCILLOR— STRAIGHTENING MAIN STREET — THE CALIFORNIA GOLD- 
SEEKERS OF 1849 — (JLD CHURCH AND COURT HOUSE RELICS— ANSEL 
WRIGHT AND HIS SONS, AND WRIGHT & RUST — THE GREAT BANK 
ROBBERY AND THE MILL RIVER FLOOD DISASTER — GREAT MEN HERE 
A HALF-CENTURY AGO — PROGRESS OF RELIGIOUS AND POLITICAL 
LIBERALITY. 

And what is writ is writ. — 
Would it were worthier: 

—Byron. 

Aside froiH the centor ol' tlie town, on Main street, ami 
innnHiliately in tlie rear of the eoui't house, there was hut 
little husiness done. David B. Whitcomb had his paint- 
shop on King street, opposite the residence of Squire Wells ; 
William Closson had a small bakery on the canal bank, on 
what is now State street, a short distance in rear of the 
present Edwards church ; Luther Davis and his sons, Rich- 
ard and George, had a wagon shop on South street, near 
the old bridge; the "Lower mill" was run by Silas Per- 
kins, and after him came Silas D. Clark, and the ''Upper 
mill " by David Damon and L. W. Joy. Spencer Clark 
took toll at the Hadley bridge. William K. Wright had a 



130 

wagon shop on the corner of Park and Prospect streets, 
and soon afterward began tnning pianos. He was a great 
antiquarian. Lucius Lewis had a bhicksmith shop on 
Allen street, and sold it to Levi L Clark, who afterward 
moved his shop to Center sti-eet. Joseidi Burnell did a 
small business as cabinet-maker at his i)lace on the brow 
of the hill at tin- northerly corner of Green street and 
College lane, and A. A. Rankin, stone-cutter, had a 
stone yard on West street. There was not much in a 
business way done at Florence. George W. Benson, the 
head of the community of " Beusonites," came to the cen- 
ter regularly every day for his mail, as did Joseph Warner, 
the silk manufacturer. William Clark was making ]ia])cr 
at the paper-mill, now the Rogers cutlery works. The Bay 
State village was not born, and Florence was only a ham- 
let. At Leeds Tlmmas Musgrave was the big man, Benja- 
min Xoi-th ranking next. Leeds then was a dirty place. 
Till' wiinlni mill was old and dingy, a low wooden building, 
and tlie small one-story tent^ment houses near by, below the 
mill, were even dii-tier than the mill. A more uninviting 
place did not exist in this region. Moses Breck was the 
principal carpenter of the town and employed a considera- 
ble number of men. George W. Edwards was his fore- 
man, and Klijah Kingsley, Cyrus and Linus Noble, Sumner 
Clark and Joshua Sibley worked for him regularly many 
years. Thomas Pratt and his sons. William F. and Charles 
S. Pratt, were the leading architects, and were also carpen- 
ters. Holton, Eells & Co. flourished for a time. Jabez 
French, Asahel Abell and Hophni Clapp were also carpen- 
ters. K. A. Burnell. now and for many years engaged in 
evangelistic work in the West, had completed his appren- 
ticeship with Moses Breck and soon began to build houses 
aiul stores as contractor. The first luiuse he erected was 
the Grman S. Clark house on Phillips place, built in 1S4S. 
In ISoO he built the William Strong house. In 1S52 he 
built the Clarke block. He was a zealous Free Soiler, and 
still liv(^s to take an honorable pride in his early anti- 
slavery labors. 



131 

THE SHOP ROW OK OLDEN TIMES. 

It is uiifurtiiuate that there are no photographs of Shop 
Row as it appeared in these olden times. Mrs. Lesley, in 
her Ret-ollections of her mother, Mrs. Jiidfje Josepli Lyman, 
records tliat sixty to seventy years ago there were ten stores 
on the Row. Some of them were low, wooden bnildings. 
All the roofs pitched toward tlie street. The rebnilding 
and improving of the Row began in the flusli war times, 
when money was abundant. General Cook drew a plan of 
Shop Row as it was when he came here in 1828, and Henry 
P. Billings, register of deeds, placed it on the county 
I'ecords, where it may be seen. The stores were small, none 
of them more than twenty-five feet deep. All were heated 
with box wood stoves or fireplaces and lighted with whale 
oil lamps. Heavy wooden blinds were put on some of the 
front windows at night. Business hours were from 7 a. 
m. to 0. p. m.. with no vacation for either proprietors or 
clerks, and dosing on week days only on Fast-day, Fourth 
of July, and Thanksgiving day. There was no Christmas 
trade, and Christmas day was scarcely thought of. It was 
not customary to deliver goods at the houses of ciistomers. 
When people bought anything at the stores they carried it 
home. The first delivering of goods was by Winthrop 
Hillyer. who macie his clerks take a barrel of flour on a 
wheelbarrow and wheel it t(j the buyer in the center. 
Andrew S. Wood, when a clerk for Mr. Hillyer, wheeled 
many a barrel of flour to houses within half a mile of the 
store. Mr. Wood became a ])artner of Mr. Hillyer and 
afterward went to Montreal, where he accumulated a com- 
petence. There was work for the clerks in the stores in 
those days, which the clerks of these later tinies know 
little of. 

THREE OLD STORES. 

There are three stores on Shoj) Row that have been de- 
voted to the same business siiu-e tlieir establishment. These 
are the drug store of C. B. Kingsley, established by Dr. 



132 

Ebenezer Hunt in 17G7 : the jewelry store of Phelps & 
Gare. formerly B. E. Cook & Son. established in 1785 by 
Samuel Stiles, goldsniitli ; and the bookstore of S. E. 
Bridgman & Co., established by Simeon Butler in 1797. 
No change of business in thesestores in more than a Imn- 
dred j'ears. There have been but few changes in the pro- 
prietors, and never a financial failure. Handsome fortunes 
have been made there by most of the owners, by means of 
industry, frugality and skillful management. 

PEWS FOR BL.\CK MEN AND BL.4CK WOMEN. 

One of the old-time things, which it is best should not 
be forgotten, were the jjews in the old church and the Ed- 
wards chiirch set apart for the exclusive use of colored 
people. Those in the old church were located in the ex- 
treme end of the gallery, behind the singers, nearest the 
door, one for men marked "B. M." and one for women 
marked " B. W." Those in the Edwards church were also 
located in the gallery, in the rear of the singei'S, nearest 
the door, and wore also marked '" B. M." and " B. W." 
They were not much used. I do not renunnl)er of ever see- 
ing a colored person in one of them. They were abolished 
as distinctly ])ews for negroes before the year 1850. When 
we read of separate cars for colored people in the South, 
we should remembir this old custom of separate pews for 
the colored race liere in fliis anti-slavery stronghold. 

WONDERFUL INCREASE IN liKA Dl Nc; MATTER. 

One of the great changes which mark the progress of the 
half-cent^uy is in the increase of reading matter. Here 
the advance has been most remarkable. . In the forties 
there were but a few daily papers taken here. The Daily 
Springfield Rejjublican, started in 1844, the first daily paper 
in Western Massachusetts, had but a small circulation here. 
There was a small l)undle sent up first on the stage-coach 
and after December, 1845, on the morning train, arriving 
here about nine o'clock. The bundle was taken to one of 



133 

the stores on Shop Rpw, whei-e it was left for each sub- 
scriber to call and get liis copy. This bundle was at one 
time taken to the dry ii;oods store of J. I. West & Co., now 
Feariug's, wliere it was left on the end of a counter near 
the door. The number of copies was perhaps about twenty. 
The number of Xew York and Boston dailies taken here 
was small. Tlie weekly paper met the wants of nearly all. 
Many families liail no more than one weekly paper, and in 
some instances one copy served the purpose of several fam- 
ilies in a neighlxjrhood, being pas.sed along from house to 
house during the week. Payment was made in all sorts of 
farm products — wood, maple sugar and syrup, butter, eggs, 
beef, pork, mutton, lamb, sausage, berries, nuts, anything 
that the printer could use was taken. Some families took 
a religious pai)er, mostly the Boston Recorder or the New 
York Oljserver or New York Evangelist, and the Mission- 
ary Herald found its way into some households. Of mag- 
azines there were only a few, and of books the supply was 
limited. Public libraries were just beginning to be estab- 
lished in the larger ])laces, but there was notliing seen or 
heard of them in the small country towns. 

Behold now the change I The weekly paper no longer 
meets the ])ul)lic demand for news, and in place of the few 
dailies that were circulated here, there are now many 
thousands. There is scarcely a family in the circuit of 
daily delivery that is without a daily ])aper, and a thousand 
perhaps that have more than one. Magazines, weekly re- 
views, illustrated papers, sijecialties in ai't, music, science, 
sport, mechanism, trades, professions, all sorts and every- 
thing, find eager buyers and readers in almost every family. 
The Siindaj' papers are poured upon the willing people like 
a flood. Of books there are hundreds where there was but 
one. Public libraries are in almost every town and village. 
The growth of reading matter has indeed been marvelous. 
And when we stop to consider the effect of this vast in- 
crease, the mind fails to gras]) its fullness. Infornuition 
relating to current events in all i)arts of the world is daily 
poured into almost evo)-y home, and the products of great 



le 



134 

intellects I'niiu tlic liltraries are readily a\'ailal)le. Tli 
masses of our peojile ai'e thus of neeessity uijlifted. tlieii 
minds broadened, their juda;nieiit shaped. t])eir citizenship 
relined and ripened. The end is not yet. This process of 
[julilic education is still advancing. It is a tremendous 
])o\ver. The pul)lic school, the academy, tlie college, the 
university, these are only the beginning of our great sys- 
tem of ]»o|)uIar eilucation. 

THU PASSIXc; OK THE FAKMEK. 

The decline of the farming industry in this town has 
been very marked. About a hundred years ago there were 
only a few of the population — less than a score perhaps — 
who were not more or less farmers. As late as fifty years 
ago farmers were the principal residents of Bridge, Elm, 
South and Pleasant streets. Large farmers were found in 
the very center of the town. There were Capt. Samuel 
Parsons on West street, Horace (/ook on College hill, Dea- 
con Enos Clark on Elm street (now the Southwick house), 
Justin Smith (east of Deacon Clark's), Horace L. Kings- 
ley on Main sti'eet. Lewis Pai'sf)ns on South street, J. Smith 
Parsons on Majjle street, William F. Kingsley on Pleasant 
street, Elisha Graves on Market street, Lyman Parsons, 
Josiah Parsons, John B. Graves, Christo))her Wright and 
Luther Clark on Bridge street, Henry Sti'ong on Hawley 
street. Deacon Aaron Breck on King street, William Strong 
on Holyoke street, all within five or ten minutes' walk of 
the court house. Now there are but a tew of these farms 
in existence, not one nn Kim street. Mr. Kingsley still 
holds the fort at the old fai'm house on Pleasant street, and 
is the last of a race of agricultural workers who nuide the 
town famous in their day. 

The feeding of cattle was a great industry here in the 
winter seasons lifty years ago. Thei'e was a good market 
for fat oxen at Brighton, and thousands o{ the choicest of 
fat cattle were annually driven there from the Connecticut 
valley. The largest feeders of cattle in tliis town were the 



i3^ 

bay Brothers on South street (Nathaniel, Leonard and 
William). They sometimes liad in their harns one hundred 
and fiftj' head of cattle, selected for their large size. They 
took pride in getting the largest oxen they could tind in all 
this region, for which they sometimes jjaid fancy jirices. 
They also fed great numbers of sheej) and at times had one 
thousand sheep in their yards. Other large feeders were 
D. Munroe Clapp. Jonathan Strong and Col. Calvin Strong, 
of South street, John B. Graves of Bridge street, Capt. 
Samuel Parsons of West street, and Samuel Day of Welch 
End. This industry was destroyed by the competition of 
the West, where cattle were gi-own on gov^ernment lands 
free of cost, except the expense of herding them. Farm- 
ing is now less jirofitable here than in former years, and 
less popular. The farmer has gradually given way to the 
demands of other intei-ests and his lands in the center have 
been taken for more profitable purposes. The feeding of 
so many cattle enabled the farmers to turn their hay and 
grain into cash, and the fertilizer thus obtained enriched 
the land, making it very productive. Meadow land sold 
here in the palmy days of the sixties at $300 an acre, and 
holders of such, lands called themselves rich. To-day 
meadow land is plenty at $50 an acre, with few buyers. 

PEOPLE KEPT THEIR MONEY IN THEIR OWN HOUSES. 

Not many of the people of the town, aside from a few 
of the leading business men, did business with the one 
local bank. The farmers generally kept their money in 
their own houses. Some of them liad hundreds and some- 
times thousands of dollars on hand at a time. They bor- 
rowed of one another. It is related that one of the princi- 
pal farmers of the town, on loaning a considerable sum of 
money to one of his brother farmers, declined to tal^e a 
note for it. Few of the householders locked their doors at 
night, and such a tiling as locking a l)arn door was not 
thought of. The " floating jiopuhition " was snuill in those 
days. 



I.ln 

OWNERSHIP OF PKWS. 

The pews in the OliI Cliurcli were owned by individuals, 
and were l)ouglit and sohl tlie same as any other personal 
property. They were valued according to location, some 
at ^'20. others at $50 and B7r>, and tiie most desiralde at 
^150. They fre<iuently changed ownership, about like 
other property. The high-priced pews were in the broad 
aisle. Among the higher-))riced pew-owners were Lewis 
Strong. Eliphalet William.s, l.saac C. Bates, J. P. Willis- 
ton. Judge Dewey, Dr. Benjamin Barrett, and John 
Clarke. Parish taxes were assessed upon the ]jew-owners. 
This system of jjcw-ownership ])revailed in all the churches 
in this region, but it was unsatisfactory. It ceased grad- 
ually and was discarded by the First Parish about 1850, 
though .some held on to their i)ews until the meeting-house 
was burned. Pew-ownership had its advantages, as it gave 
a family owning a pew an abiding sitting-place in the 
meeting-honse, where it could not be disturbed. The occii- 
])ants of the pews in the north end of the house, east of the 
pulpit, about 1850, were Lyman Parsons, Henry Lathrop, 
J. Stebbins Lathrop, Osmyn Baker, Charles Delano, and 
Joseph C. Clark : and west of the puljjit were Ca))t. Sam- 
uel Parsons and (.'hai'les G. Stai'kweather. 

THE FIRST ATI-ANTIC CABLE LAID. 

News of the laying of the first Atlantic cable was re- 
ceived in Nortliam])t()n on the 5th of August, 1858, in the 
afternoon. The Courier had anticipated its arrival and 
made arrangements for issuing an extra. As soon as it 
arrived a small sheet was issued, announcing the great 
news. There was great excitement among all the iieojile. 
Everybody was rejoiced. The great cannon was brought 
out and a salute of thirteen guns fired. The cannon was 
stationed near the old town hall and was maniu'd by Capt. 
James H. Weatherell and William F. Kingsley. Every 
chiirch bell in town was rung for one hour. Three or four 
editions of the Extra Courier were issued as the news ()f 



tiie successful lajaiig of the cable arrived, aud 3000 to -1000 
copies were printed and distributed gratuitously. The 
extras were printed on a small foot-power press recently 
bought by John and Lyman Metcalf, job printers. 

GOOD TROT'T FISIIIXC IX THE OIJ) TIMES. 

Xow a few words about the old-times lishing. When a 
lioy I fished the brooks of Williamslnirg with gi-eat indus- 
tr\-. pleasure and success. They seemed larger then than 
they do now, and were alive with trout. One day, sixty 
years ago, early in the morning, after a good rain, I went 
to the head of Unquomonk brook, on Petticoat hill, think- 
ing to have the brook all to myself. But another boy was 
ahead of me. He was Whitney L. Warner, now a mer- 
chant and postmaster in Sunderland, who was then living 
with his grandfather, Dea. Sylvanns Hubbard, on Petticoat 
hill. I overtook him a few rods below George Davenport's 
mow-lot, (how mad Uncle George was to see the boys 
tramping down his grass), and we fished along together 
imtil we reached "Scrub street" road, below Almon War- 
ner's. Our combined catch numbered ::i7o, and included 
some half-pounders. Meekins brook and the Joe Wright 
brook were famous trout streams, and large trout were 
caught from the main river above and below the village. 
1 often saw Abisha Stearns catch trout from under the dam 
back of his wool-carding mill near the center bridge. 

After I came to Northampton I followed the streams with 
the same zeal and success. There was a little stream west 
of Florence, flowing from David Lee Child's farm, that 
always yielded fine trout. Broad l)rook. that came down 
fnnn Noi'th Farms to Wilkie's i)ond in Hatfield, was a 
great trout sti'eam, and I caught many one-pound trout 
from it. Denniston's meadow j'ielded some good ones. 
The Roberts meadow brooks were then fine fishing streams, 
and one pound and pound and a half trout were often 
caught there. 

The fishermen were not so plenty in those days as they 



138 

are now, but tliere were some who were very siiccessful. 
Dr. Meckins, Henry Childs, Jerry Wells, I. N. Kneelaud, 
Lyman Metcalf and Henry (). Edwards were the leading 
trout fishermen. One afternoon in June, 1S53 or 1854, 
Wells. Metcalf and another went to the streams above 
Wilkie's saw-mill in West Hatfiehi. They hitched their 
horse in the woods where a road ci-osses the brook some 
distance above the old Hubbard pond. There was then a 
dilapidated saw-mill at this pond. Metcalf and the third 
man went u]) the two streams above the road, and Jerry 
went down. Jerry struck the head of the Hubbard pond, 
and such fishing he had never seen before. The water was 
literally alive with front, ranging in size from three to six 
ounces. It was late in the afternoon when he reached the 
pond and he fished until it was quite dark. His fellow- 
fishermen, with nearly empty baskets, waited for him at 
the wagon and had almost given him up for lost, when he 
appeared to them loaded down with fish. His basket was 
full and he had two big strings besides, in all over forty 
pounds. Naturally his success set the wliole party crazy. 
I was invited to join them the next time they went. < »f 
course 1 accepted. The day came, Jerry, Metcalf, ami 1, 
with one of Samuel Simmons's "cheerful drivers," started 
for the happy land. ' It was a cloudy day. We headed up 
through Elm street and then turned northward, through 
Fraukli)! street to Slough hill, so as to avoid indicating to 
Childs and others the place by our course. We approached 
the pond with the same caution. Presently we got in our 
work. And such fishing ! Nothing like it was ever before 
known in this region. The trout were as ready for us as 
we were ready for them. They bit at every drop of the 
hook. It was fun to the brim for us. Three happier fish- 
ermen never baited a hook or cast a line. Wlien we quit 
fishing we had seventy-eight pounds of trout— Jerry thirty- 
six. Metcalf eighteen, and I twenly-four. We visited the 
l)oiid manv times afterward, but we never duplicated that 
catch, though we always had good Uudv. There was never 
such a prolific breeding place for trout. They seemed to 



grow tliere spontaneously, like mosquitoes. The pond bad 
been seldom visited bj' fishermen, but there was one man 
who knew of it, and for years he had the sport all to him- 
self. That man was Spencer Phelps, who lived near the 
old Catholic fhurrh on King street. He fished for a living 
and sold his fish to Captain Brewster of the Mansion House. 
Day after day he went to this pond, walking all the way, 
waded in, and caught as many as he wanted. He followed 
this so long that he became ci'i]jj)led by rlunimatism and 
was unable to get to the poml. 

In those years, the forties and fifties, the brooks of tins 
region were well stocked with trout. I used to go annually 
in May, to Capt. Otis Taylor's, on Chester Hill, for several 
days" fishing. In ISo-t I was there four days and caught 
ten pounds of fine trout each day, from Cook brook and 
Abbott brook. One hole yielded seventeen trout. 

TO SPRINGFIELD AROUND THE OXBOW. 

In the forties the travel to Springfield on the west side of 
the river all had to go by the Fort hill road, around the 
" oxbow." past the house of Augustus Clapp. The meadow 
road direct from Maj)le street to Mount Tom was not built 
until about 1850. There had been loud calls for it, but 
Kasthampton opposed it, as it threw the cost of the bridge 
at Mount Tom on to that town. When built it became a 
great ])ublic convenience. 

NO ICK BUSINESS, COAL. OR CULTIVATED STRAWBERRIES. 

When I came to town, there was no such thing liere as 
the ice business ; the cultivation of the strawberry had not 
begun : and the coal trade was just beginning. Wright & 
Rust first began to harvest ice, and Lewis Mclntyre was 
the first (^oal-dealer. The first cultivated strawberries were 
raised in 1S4G by George Kellogg, who lived on the north 
side of the road, a little distance beyond the Welch End 
bridge and a few rods west of Samuel Day's. He had a 
small strawberry bed in front of his house, and he took 



140 

some of the berries down to tlie Herald office, where they 
])rodnced a soiisation. 

CARRYING THE WHIP OVER THE SHOULDER. 

In the oklen times there was a custom which has disap- 
peared with the advancing years. It was almost a univer- 
sal practicte for men when driving a hoi-se in a wagon or 
" cutter," to carry the whip over the right shoulder. This 
came from the absence of a place in the vehicle to stand 
the whip. The whip socket came with the advent of the 
sjn-ing buggy along in the forties, and from that time the 
old custom of canning the whip swung over the shoulder 
began to disappear. It was. however, a fine old custom. 
How graiul the old fellows looked, when riding along with 
that moderation whicdi was so characteristic of the times, 
whip in hand and poised over the shoulder at about the 
angle of a well-sweep at rest. It is rare that this old cus- 
tom is seen in these later days. But I saw it in the sum- 
mer of 190:^, when riding on an electric car between Hay- 
denville and Williamsburg. There was George Ames of 
Haydenville, the veteran tinner and stove-dealer. He was 
riding ahmg, like a Rip Van Winkle, whip in the old-times 
position, a veritable ])icture of the men I used to see every 
day when a boy. How good he looked !— so stately, solid, 
substantial, contented. It set me right ba(d< sixty years. 
The whips in the old days were not like the fancy whips of 
modern times. They were made of rattan stocks, covered 
with leather, and the lash was heavy, with a big bulge at 
the upper end. Those old whips lasted many years. Peace 
to the old-timers who carried the upright whip, and honor 
to the ancient custom I 

THE MILITARY COMPANY. 

In 1845 there was a nourishing military company here. 
Jolm B. Augur and William F. Arnold held the office of 
captain about that time, and Henry Childs wtis ensign, li 
was a high honor to be a menilier of this company. At 



Ul 

about that year, Colonel Tlirooj), a United States army offi- 
cer, wbo had been livinji; at Haydenville. was engaged to 
drill this company. He was a tall, well-built man, a fine 
military figure, and made an imposing appearance on 
l)arade. The parading of the military in Main street was 
always a notable occasion. The final street performance of 
training day took place in front of the Warner House, 
wiiere the company was drawn up for its best endeavors. 

OSCAK EDWARD.S ELECTED COUNCILLOR. 

A political cimtest that attracted widespread atteutinn 
was that wiiich I'esulted in the election of Oscar Edwards 
of Xorthamptoii to the Governors Council in ISTO. The 
Ki'publican nomination that year was generally conceded to 
Hamjishire, and l)y all I'ules of fairness and courtesy it 
belonged to the Eastern section of the county. Rufus D. 
Woods of Enfield was the choice of that section, which 
pressed for his nomination. Unc^xpectedly the choice fell 
upon Richmond Kingman of Cummington. Thei'e was 
great dissatisfaction throughout Hampshire county, and the 
spirit of revolt was in the air. The Democrats nominated 
Mr. Edwards, and all shades of the opposition rallied to 
his support with enthusiasm. Ham))shire county gave him 
a majority of 1000, and Hampden county added 11(J8 to it. 
Berkshire gave Kingman 7-")S majority, leaving Mr. Ed- 
wards a majority of ■i'.]70 in the district. The next year 
Mr. Woods received the Republican nomination and was 
elected. 'Slv. Kingman felt his defeat keenly, and soon 
after it removed to Battle Creek, Michigan, whei'e he died. 

STRAIGHTENING MAIN STREET. 

After Osmyn Baker bought of .John Tappan the |)ropei-ty 
on the corner of King street, from the Williston lot to the 
Connecticut River railroad, including the Polly Pomeroy 
house, then occui)ied by Prof. Josiah Clark, as stated on 
l)age 71, an effort was made by Capt. M. H. Sjiaulding. C. 
H. Dickinson. Marvin M. French. William M. (!,-i\'lord. 



142 

and others, to have the lines of Main street from King 
street to Market street straightened. None of the present 
liinldinns now there on either side had been erected 
at that time. It was proijosed to bring the line on the 
Pleasant street corner toward Main street about twelve feet 
so as to have the buildings on that side of tlie street stand 
on a line with Shop Row, with no change at the Hampshire 
House corner. Mr. Baker was to set his line back so as to 
make it straight from the east corner of the court house lot 
to the corner of Market street. This would have made the 
street considerably wider and broken, in part, the bend at 
Masonic block. For this change Mr. Baker was offered 
$2,500, but he refused to accept it. After the buildings 
were erected he regretted that he had not accepted the 
offer. He also exi)ressed regret that he sold the two 
wooden buildings and the land on which they stand to ^Ir. 
Crouch, as he considered the tenements unsightly and an 
injury to the adjoining property. 

After the negotiations with Mr. Baker failed, the county 
commissioners were petitioned to make the proposed 
changes, but they refused. Squire Brewster was chairman 
of the board at that time, and Mr. Baker made strenuous 
opposition. Mr. Brewster several years afterward said lie 
feared that the commissioners made a mistake in not grant- 
ing tlie prayer of the petitioners, but it was too late then 
to remedy the matter. 

•niF. (■ALn<X)KNIA (iOI.l) SEEKEKS OF 18-iO. 

The California gold discoveries in the later forties created 
great excitement throughout the country, and Northamp- 
ton had its share of the gold-digging fever. In 1840 a 
company was organized here, called the Hoi yoke Mining 
Company, with Richard Chenery as i)resident. There were 
twenty-one men in the company, including Richard 
Chenery. Marshall Hubbard, Horace T. Hodges, Charles G. 
Starkweather, John Prouty. Ozro C. Wright. Wiljiani S. 
Allen. Kdwin C. Clark, Barton Bisbee and Nathaniel Tower 



143 

of Noitliamptoii. Fi-edevifk Lyman of Hockanum. Saimicl 
N. Bosworth of Westlielil, K. C. Cusliiug of Perkiiisvillt', 
Vt.. Frederick B. Phelps of Belclierfown, J. G. McKiiulley 
of Chatham. X. Y.. Pliny H. Merrick of Wilhraham. M. 
Nash Hubhanl of Williamsburg, John Fisli of West- 
hainpton. l)i-. Samuel Reed of Greenfield, Francis Baker of 
Wilbi'aliam. and Andrew Bradbury, station-master of Con- 
necticut River railroad at Northtiehl. 

The company was composed entirely of young men. 
Their by-laws and articles of agreement pledged them to 
industry, to an observance of the Sabljath. and to pro- 
priety of conduct in all respects. Each man paid into the 
joint stock 8500, and was bound to labor for the mutual 
Vtenefit of the company. Tliey agreed to stay one or two 
years, according to their success. They took with them 
provisions for five or six mouths and shipped ai'ound the 
cape an ample supply for two years. They took tlie 
Isthmus route and left New York on the sailing vessel S. 
L. Crowell for Chagres, Feb. 9. Tliey were accompanietl 
by twelve men from Enfield. 

On the -^d of February, before starting, a portion of the 
company were met by their friends in the vestry of tlie 
Fiist church, where the Hampshire Gazette is now f)rintcd. 
when prayer was offered by Rev. E. Y. Swift, pastor of 
that church, and an address made by Rev. Geoi'ge E. Day, 
j)astor of the Edwards church. The speaker enjoined upon 
those who were about to depart, the observance of temper- 
ance and chastity, mutual harmony, adherence to the prin- 
ciples of the gospel, respect for the Sabbath, and the avoid- 
ance of profanity and gaming. He likewise reminded 
them that in the turbid multitude in which they would 
mingle they would be the representatives of the morals of 
their town, and finally, the great fact was impressed upon 
their minds, that there is a treasure to be gained, in a life 
to conje, " vaster, richer, than tlie mines of Mexico, or tlio 
wealth of India." The address was printed in a pamphlet 
and the company supplied witli fifty copies. 

It was a diflicult task to make the journey across tlie 



144 

Isthmus iu tliose days of jKior means of travel, and it was 
six months before these gold-seekers reached California. 
When they arrived there many thousands of gold-seekers 
were thronging in. all filled with the desire to get rich 
speedily. Most of this (•oin])any made tlieii' way at once 
to the gold digging regions, but they met with small suc- 
cess thei'e. and .soon scattered, each man hooking out for 
himself. Some came buck within a year and some re- 
mained. Mr. Chenery obtained a govei-nment office and 
remained there until he died. ^Ir. Starkweather, after 
trying his luck at digging for gold, went to farming. His 
brother Alfred went out the next year and the two began 
farming on a four hundred acre ranch. They were very 
successful, crops grew luxuriantly, ])ric-es were high, the 
demand good, and each accumulated a liandsome sum for 
those days. Charles Stai'kweather returned to Northamp- 
ton after ten years of life in California, and has since lived 
here. He wanted to go back to California, but his father, 
Haynes K. Starkweather of South street, was getting old 
and infirm and needed his help on the old fai'm. so he 
stayed here. His brother Alfred returned to Northampton 
about ten years later, on account of his poor health. After 
recovering his health, he returned to Califoi'nia. and is now 
there, engaged in farming. Charles Starkweather is still 
living in this city, almost eighty-four years of age. An- 
other bnjther. Haynes K. Starkweather. Jr.. druggist, also 
went to California several years after the "forty-niners"' 
went, and set nii a drug-store in Stockton, remaining there 
four years. He also i)rosi)ered well. Mr. Merrick died at 
the gold mines three months after arriving there. Oidy 
ime other of the original company. Mr. 1 'helps, is now liv- 
ing. The other members met with varied experience, but 
none of them fully realized the golden expectations which 
they entertained when they started from home. 

OLD CHURCH AND {Ot KT llul SE RFXICS. 

When the Old Cliurcli was burned, (ieneral Cook ob- 
tained one of tiie large stop-stoues an<l liad it .set on the 



U5 

curbiiit!; in fniiit of his store on Shop Row. It remained 
thei'e a number of years, wlien it was removed to his lioiise 
on Bridi^e street, where it is still doing its duty. 

When the old court house was taken down, the corner 
stone, a big- boulder, was split in the center and one i)art 
was taken hy William M. Gaylord and the other by Clerk 
of the Courts William H. Clapp, and set at their houses. 
Three of tlie granite posts that stood in front of the court 
house are now in use on Gothic street for hitching posts. 

ANSEL WRIGHT AND HIS SONS — WRIGHT ct KIST. 

From ls-J-2 to 1870 anioiii;- the most active men in town 
wei'e Ansel Wright and his sons, George F. and Ansel 
Wright. Jr. All were deputy sheriffs, and thej' did most 
of the business in that line. Early and late, through storm 
and calm, heat and cold, they pursued their labors, travel- 
ing over the entire county. They were especially vigilant, 
and it was rare that a criminal eluded them. The elder 
Wright was often reckless of his own comfort and safety. 
It was his habit to ride in the severest weather witliout a 
buffalo skin or laji-robe. Another of ]iis habits was to 
leave his horse nnli itched, and the animal was often found 
at considerable distances from the spot whei'e it was left. 
One time, when he had left his horse in front of the court 
house, it strayed into tiie little park in tiie center of ]\tain 
street, pulling the buggy over the railing. If he spared 
not himself, he served his horses in the same way. He was 
foiul of a joke, and had an a])tness for telling a story. 
There was a slight impeiliment in his speech, which some-, 
times added to the liavor of his jokes. A woman once 
asked him about joining the Unitarian church, when he 
gravely told her that " they were full there, but he pre- 
sunu^d she might get in up at the Baptists ; and if any 
vacancy occurred he would let her know," George Wright 
was a man of remai'kable activity, and could transact more 
business than auy other man in town. He had tlie rare 
faculty of remembering names ; and as constable of the 



146 

towu lie always huld the ballol-bux at fluctiuns and was 
able to call every man's name as he came up to vote. He 
was full of elasticity and would juni]) from his wat^on 
before tlie horse stopped. He was over ready to befriend 
his fellow-inen and was a very popular man. He died at 
au early age. when in the midst of his vigor aiul useful- 
ness. The Wrights did a large amount of business, not 
only as deputy sheritl's. but as mei-chants and ice-dealers. 
They raised early garden tru(d<, and with their neighbor, 
Ti)eo<lore Rust, were about the fii'st in town to engage iu 
that business. The firm of Wright & Rust from is-j-^ to 
1848 was as well known here as that of any concei'n in tlie 
place. Wriglit block and Rust block still stand as evidence 
of their industry and success. 

BANK ^;(>l!lu•:l;^ and mii.i. ki\ ki; flood. 

The great bank i-obl)ery of Jan. 26, 187(i, and the Mill 
river Hood disastcu' of May 10, 1874, might well claim a 
place here, but to do them justice would re(|uire almost a 
book in itself, which it is hoixnl that some i)i'olilic' writer, 
inspired by knowledge of these events, will yet issue. 
Money and securities to the value of nearly a million and a 
half dollars were stolen from tin; bank, and one hundred 
anil thirty-six lives were lost by the flood : also one ium- 
dred houses aud factories destroyed, twenty bridges swept 
away, many miles of road ruined, ami })roperty worth 
81,500.000 wiped out. 1 ])assed through all the exciting 
scenes attending both the robbery aud the flood. Each of 
those events stirreil this region as it was never stirred be- 
fore. I saw Edson at work on the bank vault after it had 
been robbed through inl'orniatioii that Im gave. I saw the 
I'obbers Scott uiui Duuhiiial their trial and when they were 
sentenced. 1 saw the excitement of the ollicers of the bank 
and the dejiositors whose securities had been stolen. 1 saw 
the crowds of excited people in front of the bank while the 
vault was being opeiu^d. 1 heard the ])leas in tlie court, 
the charge of Judge Bacon to the jury, and the sentence of 



147 

twenty years' imyirisoiiment. I saAv the pri.soners after 
their sentence an<l wlien they were taken from the eourt 
house to tlie jail. Tiie twenty-seven yeai's that have passed 
since the robbery have made sad inroads in the ranks of the 
l)rincipal actors in those exciting scenes. Tlie judge wlio 
])resided at the trial — the lawyers who conducted the i)ros- 
ecution and the defense — the sheriff and the deputies who 
were on duty at the time — the jailer who had the custody 
of the prisoners— all are goiie, their voices hushed in death. 
Only two of the bank otiicials remain among the living- — 
Oscar Edwards, the president, and Henry R. Hinckley, a 
director. Of the bank rob1)ers, Scott died in ])rison. Dun- 
lap was jmrdoned about a year befoi'e his time expired, and 
Edson, the worst man of the three, who turned against the 
robbers as he had turned against the bank before the rob- 
bery, long since disapj)eared from public view. 

The flood disaster was even more exciting than the bank 
robbery. I saw the on-rushing flood as it passed through 
the center of the town on its wild sweep to the sea. A 
great crowd of people gathered at the old South street 
bridge to witness the flood pass, and to see, as was believed, 
the old bridge swept away. As soon as possible I started 
for Williamsburg to write up the disaster, and remained 
there over night. People all along the way were excited 
beyond measure, and gloom, despair, destruction and ruin 
were spread everywhere along the I'onte of the flood. The 
roads were filled with excited people for many days after- 
ward. The heart of the public was touched, generous con- 
tributions in aid of the sufferers flowed in from all quar- 
ters, and the state legislature came to the aid of the smaller 
town with an appropriation of one hundred thousand dol- 
lars. The highways and bridges were reconstructed and 
the waste places were in a measure restored, but the dead 
were beyond recall, and to the present time traces of the 
terrible disaster are visible. Ah I those were; days of great 
events, and (heir sad memory will lingci' until the last ]iar- 
ticipant in tlicin passes to the world beyond, and the tragic 
stories will be told and re-told with undiminished interest 
to the latest generations. 



148 

THK (iKKAT MKX OK FIFTY AN'l) SIXTY YEAKS A(iO. 

Ami iiiiw. wliat nf tlie puopli.- ^ Xiitiii'e may liave its 
chai-ins and l)e lavish of its beauties, as it is and has been 
with this <roodly town, but somcthini; more is needed to 
give it cliaracter and make it the ideal [)lac(! of residence. 
The people make the town. It' thr people of a town ate not 
intelligent, moral. lios]iitable. ])rogressive, alive to every- 
tliing tliat makes for good eitizenshij) an<l tlie ujilifting of 
the race, the wealth of its natural advantages counts for 
little. What. then, of the ix'ople of OM Northampton!-' 

I ])aiise here, and with thoughtful niiiii and uncovered 
head, rontemplate tlie character of tlie ])eople of North- 
ampton in the times of wliich I write, now tifty and sixty 
years past. It is pleasant to think that ihr world is grow- 
ing bettei', and I believe it is : but, as I look at the men of 
forty, fifty and sixty years ago in this town, and compare 
them witli the men I see around me to-day, the contrast 
seems great. Not that there are no men of superior moral 
and intellectual strength here now, but that the men of old 
seem so much larger. Strong men they were, big men they 
were, strong in character, large intellectually, great in aliil- 
ity, marked in individuality, big in achievement, they seem 
like a race especially fitted for the great work which fell to 
them to ])ei'form. They had not great w(>alth. nor great 
means of education, but they had strength of character, 
and inherited ability, and ]ii-ai-tical training in the affairs 
of stivnuous life, and they made s])lendid use of the oppor- 
tunities which c.ime to them. They tell us that there are 
just as good and just as strong men to-day as those men of 
the past : that the men of our youth seem larger to us as 
we grow older and vi(>w them in the disttince. They tell 
us, too, that in the olden days the common people were not 
so well educated as they are to-day, and that the leading 
men loomed up in largei' proportions by contrast. Perhaps 
there is truth in this. I have tried to think there is. But, 
somehow, after making due allowance for these considera- 
tions, the feeling that it is not so, in this instance, at least, 



149 

lingers and will imt di-pait. I uni c-onsti-a,ine(l to bolieve 
that the men of the i):ist were iA stronger and uiore stately 
hrand than the men of thcise times. I have talked with 
many men and women whose lives run back more tlian 
seventy years, and they all tell the same story abont the 
comparative standing of the men of the past and the men 
of the present. 

Tell me where to-day there is a charaeter here the ecjnal 
of Thomas Shepherd, the friend and suppoi-ter of General 
Jackson and postmaster eleven years. And where is there 
one who can match Judge Joseph Lyman, clerk of courts 
twelve years, .judge of probate court six years, high sheriff 
twenty-eight years. And on(^ who is tlie equal of Isaac C. 
Bates, the able and eloquent lawyer and United States sen- 
ator. And where is there so brilliant a man as Erastus 
Hopkins, whose eloquence charmed even the great Hunga- 
rian orator and exile. General Kossuth ? And where are 
the men like Samuel F. Lyman, Charles P. Huntington, 
and Charles E. Forbes ? Point me to a man the equal of 
John Payson Williston, the able and fearless anti-slavery 
and temperance reformer and benefactor of his town. And 
where was there ever an individuality that so impressed 
liimself upon his times like Major Harvey Kirkland, man- 
ager of Hampshire Mutual fire insurance company, builder 
of business blocks, register of deeds twenty-five years, 
honest, exact and unique in all that he did ? And where a 
man that can match Jonathan Hunt Butlei-, the perfect 
gentleman, merchant prince, and genial banker i-' And. 
among farmers, tell me, if you can, of a man of strength 
of mind, and character, and influence, like Captain Samuel 
Parsons. There were many others here, strong and able 
men, like Judge Charles A. Dewey, Lewis Strong, Henry 
Bright, Drs. Daniel and James Thompson, Dr. Benjamin 
Barrett, Oliver Warner, Samuel L. Hinckley, Sylvester 
Judd, Dr. Sylvester Graham, Thomas Musgrave, Samuel 
and Thomas Whitniai-sh, William Claik. Osmyn Baker. 
Charles Delano, Samuel T. Sp.iulding, Samuel L. Hill. 
Chauncey Clark. Where are the ec^uals of these men !' 1 



150 

look ill vain I'or them, in tlie city hall, iu our Inisiness 
marts, in the forum of the court room, in the halls of legis- 
lation, wherever the town is represented. Gone are they, 
forever gone, these men of renown in the olden times, rep- 
resentatives of a great genei-ation. Their places ai'e occu- 
])ied, hut are they fillcil 'i 

PK()(JRESS I.N' KKLHiiors ANii roi.nicM. 1.1 i;i:i; A I .IT V. 

With the passing of these sixty years tliere has c-onie a 
marked change in the religious and jwlitical sentiments of 
the jieople of the town. In religious matters a half-cen- 
tury ago there was much exclusiveness. The " old church " 
was the one "established church," to which all others gave 
the right of way. The Methodists and Baptists were weak 
ill nunihers and wealth. The Unitarians were not consid- 
ered a thoroughly Christian people. The Episcopalians 
were scarcely lietter. And as for the Catholics, they were 
held in fear, and the u])per end of Kiug street was thought 
to be plenty near enough to the center for them. The 
" fi-ee-thinkers" at Florence were considered no better tliaii 
the Catholics, and by some, not as good. Neither Catholics 
nor free-thinkers stood any chance of holding a town office. 

Behold now. the change I A brotlierly feeling has spread 
its broad wings over all the town. Charity for all and a 
broad liberality pervade the entire community. All de- 
nominations fraternize on a common platform, the central 
j)oint of Christianity, and all co-operate cordially for the 
moral and spiritual uplifting of the people. Where all 
religious sects seek the same end and recognize the same 
head, it has come to be accepted that all can live and labor 
together in harmony for its accomplishment. In secular 
matters, religious distinctions count for little. Few stop to 
inquire whether a man is of this or that religious denomi- 
nation, and only his merits are considered. 

Ill tlic )iolitical field, also, the same marked change has 
taken place. U]) to about fitty yeai's ago the town ofiices 
were exclusively filled by uieu of one political and i-eligious 



faith. All opponents of that faith were so far regarded as 
enemies of society and antagonists of the public welfare 
as to lie excluded from otHcial positions. Wlicther Demo- 
crats or Abolitionists, all received the same nn(iualilied 
condeinnation. There was an unction that went witli it 
which attested its genuineness. 

Mark the revolution I The blow wliirli shattered this 
exchisiveness was the anti-slavery niuvL-nunt begun in 1840 
by the Abolitionists and which culminated in the Free Soil 
demonstration of 1S48. Since then liberality of opinif)n 
has made rapid progress. It has been discovered that all 
American citizens seek only the good of tiie town, the 
state, and the country, and that such differences of opiniim 
as exist relate only to means of attaining the results which 
all seek to accomplish. In place of intolerance, there is 
cliai'ity. In place of ostracism, ttiere is recognition of in- 
dividual rights, on the broad basis of ciiaracter and ability 
to serve the public. 

Thus the world, as it I'elates to Northampton, has moved 
forward. 

CONCLUSION. 

And now. in closing these Reminiscences, — having writ- 
ten more than I at first intended, yet leaving unnoticed 
much that would be appropriate here ; and having written. 
perha])s, some things which might better have been omit- 
ted : —now — 

Farewell! a word that must he, and liath been, — 
A sound that makes us linger; yet — farewell I 

— ityrun. 



On page 84. where it speaks of tlie stone wall and stairway in front 
of the old town hall, "as shown in the frontispiece." the reference 
should be to the picture of Main street on page 28 : and on page 'M, the 
name of Charles C. Clapp, one of the memliers of the Hook and Lad- 
der company, should be Charles E. Clapp. 



PRESS OF GAZETTE PRINTING COMPANY, NORTHAMPTON, MASS. 



